POIS0N: Series
by MISS MANA ELLE
Summary: Classic game of jealousy... but what happens when a wild twist turns more than two lives upside down? ADVERSARY AFFECTION; last chapter uploaded
1. Enemies

Adversary Affection

Chapter One: Enemies

A single finger was flipping slick pages of a magazine, a single pale finger. Laughter sounded behind her, from 

the other girls in her dorm. But one laugh stood out: a high pitched, preppy laugh. Hermione Granger didn't even have to turn her head to know it was Lavender Brown, the girl who'd stolen her boyfriend from under her very nose. But, alas, she did turn her head to look at the group of girls, already in their nightgowns. 

Parvati Patil's crimped brown hair bounced as she laughed, her white tank and shorts pajamas vivid against 

her darkly tanned skin. Her hazel eyes were alive with humor as she listened to Sherrice Gorandom tell another story about her stupid kid sister. Sherrice had reddish-brown hair which was wispy and a bit frizzy. Her hair was layered and fell in one layer to her shoulders, which was curled under. Her other layer fell just below her shoulders and was curled out. Plain, dark brown eyes adorned her dark, African-American skin. Kaira Jortese was an Asian girl, with shiny black hair and alive, almond shaped chocolate eyes. Her complexion was an olive tan and her skin hadn't a blemish upon it. 

Of course, none of them compared to 'Lavender Brown, the Luscious Beauty of the Seventh Year'. Long, golden-blonde hair fell down her back, almost to her waist. A fair skin tone framed perfectly curled, colored black lashes. Her lips couldn't have been more alluring, done in a shimmering color of crimson. And of course, the perfect body. Who wouldn't want Lavender Brown's body? She had to wear a least a C-cup and she had such a tiny waist. She wasn't too tall, nor was she short, and she knew how to show that body off. And those electric blue eyes! They matched her spaghetti-strap top and underwear pajamas set. Lavender may have been the Goddess of the seventh year, but she was not the nicest. She was actually, to but it bland, a bitch.

And then there was Hermione, who had a few good qualities, or so she thought. She was nothing to compare

to anything of the girls sitting on Kaira's bed, but at least she wasn't downright ugly. Creamy, chocolate curls

fell in different lengths to her mid-back. A fair complexion and a clear face, she had cinnamon brown eyes that shimmered in the light. Her body wasn't bad, could actually compare with Miss Perfect's. 

Hermione stood, trying not to draw attention from the other girls, knowing she'd receive a rude comment from Lavender. All of the other girls liked her, even Lavender's best friend, Parvati. Hermione got into her dresser, searching for her pajamas. She drew out her favorite ones. They were a sweet sugar pink, the pieces a pair of pants and a tank top. They had tiny stars in a pastel yellow color on them.

"Aren't those pajamas just adorable!?" Kaira exclaimed. She just loved those pajamas and had to say something every time Hermione put them on. All of the other girls agreed, except Lavender, of course.

"Look more like a four-year-old's pajamas," Lavender muttered. Hermione smiled at the girls, drawing her bed covers back.

"Thanks, guys. Night."

"Night," they all chorused. Hermione turned out her lamp, chucking her magazine to the floor. She crawled under her bed covers and drew her curtain back, hearing a few of the other girls going to bed. But she didn't go to sleep. She just couldn't go to sleep knowing her boyfriend was in love with the girl that she hated instead of her. She thought about different ways to get him back...Offer him money, offer to have endless sex with him, get herself a make-over, beg him...but nothing appealed. Nothing hit the spot. Thinking about this, she drifted to sleep...

***

Her curtains had been drawn back, her eyes pressed tightly together. Bright sunlight bathed her in light, her chocolate curls gleaming. Her eyes fluttered open only to see her window's curtains had been drawn back as had her bed curtains. She blinked the daylight out of her eyes and glanced at her clock. Half and hour before she 

was due to get up. She sighed, someone had deliberately done that. She glanced at the one she knew did it 

only to see a smirk plastered on those colorless tiers. 

Hermione threw back her bed covers and got some clothes ready for her shower. She brought her wand with her to the shower room, setting her clothes down on one of the benches. She walked into the showers, her wand in hand. She walked to the shower that Lavender always used and thought a second. 

__

"Frigidiness reaplicon!" The one spell that Hermione knew would drive her crazy. She leered and walked back to her clothes on the bench, setting her wand down. She took her shower and got dressed before any of the other girls were awake. She was staring at herself in the lavatory mirror when Sherrice and Parvati trudged in sluggishly to get their showers ready. 

Hermione was pondering whether or not she should try something new for a look today. She'd decided she wanted to win Ron back, but she still didn't know how. She held her curls up in a kind of bun, pursing her lips in a secretive, sensual way. "You look great, baby."

"Hermione, what are you doing?" Hermione jumped to see Kaira behind her, grinning. 

"Oh, uh, I was, uh, trying to--"

"Save it. Just save it, Herm." Kaira giggled and walked to the shower room, while Hermione sighed. She glanced down at her clothes. Maybe she should chuck the goody-goody clothing? A definite yes. She went back to her dresser, searching through her clothes, anything but that old T-shirt and shorts. And she found nothing. Lavender walked by groggily, rubbing the side of her face. She had obviously fallen back asleep after she'd woken Hermione up. Hermione left her dresser and peeked into the shower room to watch Lavender turn her shower on.

A scream filled the room and Lavender went running out of the showers, to her bed, hopping back in it, wrapping her blankets around herself, shivering violently. Hermione snorted, holding back laughter. Lavender's skin was the palest shade of blue, her lips were near purple, and her hair was practically one big ice block. Ice pieces were molded into her hair, a few pieces of her hair had broken off. Oh, that was going to cause damage.

Hermione left her dorm before Lavender could go off on her. The only reason she hadn't already was probably because she was naked and everyone else was around her, arguing over which spell to use to unfreeze her hair

so that it wouldn't break anymore.

Hermione slipped into Ginny's dorm to find her doing her make-up. "Hey, Gin." Hermione said as she sat on Ginny's bed, watching her as she did her make-up at her vanity. Ginny was putting eye-liner on her eyes and mouthed hi to Hermione while she concentrated. Hermione watched intently, watching Ginny's had movements.

She blinked a few times after she was finished, smiling at Hermione in her mirror.

"Hi!"

"Ginny, could you do me a favor?" 

"Sure," Ginny said, slipping her eye-liner back in her vanity drawer and pulling out her lip-gloss. "What do you need?"

"Could you find me something to wear that isn't so...me?" Ginny put her lip-gloss down and looked Hermione over.

"Are you asking for a make-over?" Ginny inquired. Hermione shook her head frantically.

"No! I just want something more...provocative to wear." Ginny smirked.

"I heard Lavender scream and then I heard your dorm mates arguing about how to unfreeze her hair. What did you do?" Hermione giggled.

"I put the frigidius charm on her shower. Brilliant, eh?" Ginny laughed, throwing her head back.

"Oh, yes, very brilliant!" Ginny was still giggling as she headed towards her dresser. Her dorm mates were also doing their make-up. _What a modern group of girls,_ Hermione thought. Ginny had started going through her clothing, looking for something. She grinned at Hermione before she pulled something out. "You want to be provocative, then wear this!" Ginny thrust an outfit into Hermione's hands. Hermione unfolded the garments and her jaw dropped.

"Are you _crazy?!_ These are club dancing clothes!"

"Hermione, wake up to this year! That outfit will draw attention to you! I think I packed it so I could wear it on Holloween...Go as a hooker or something."

"Hooker?"

"A prostitute."

"Oh, well, the outfit would go perfectly with the theme, but you'd get in trouble for wearing it."

"Oh well, just try it on!" Ginny shoed Hermione into her bathroom. Hermione was in there for at least five 

minutes before Ginny knocked. "Are you alive in there? Did the clothes eat you? Hello?" Hermione groaned.

"I am going to get into so much trouble for wearing this, Ginny Weasley!" Ginny laughed.

"Oh well! Come on out, I want to see it!" Hermione walked out of the bathroom, trying to slouch so that the shirt would cover her stomach. Ginny grinned. "Perfect!" Hermione glared at her, her lips pressed thin. The shirt was a yellow halter that tied at the neck and in the back. The black skirt was tiny, coming to her mid thighs. The black heels were actually healed sandals that had a T-clasp around the ankle. Hose covered her legs, making them look tanned and sleek. "You're going to have your robes on over it, anyway, and Ron will love it!"

"Who says I'm wearing this for Ron?!" Hermione's voice was panicked.

"Like I can't tell. He's my brother and you're one of my best friends." Hermione frowned. 

"I can't wear this!" Hermione hopped back in the bathroom, listening to Ginny's protests the entire time she was changing back into her white T-shirt and blue-jean shorts.

***

Hermione stared at the floor deflty as she waited for some of the crowd to move away from the Great Hall. It was always like this in the mornings, people trying to get in for breakfast, people trying to get out to get forgotten books or supplies, people gathered around talking, people at thr bulletin board for Quidditch schedules and extra class cancellations and such.

The people in front of her had started to move, and she took a step forward, glancing to the right. But she ran into someone from the left. She was caught too far off-guard and she ended up on the groound. She glanced up only to see that she had run into Draco Malfoy. She thought of what he'd say. He couldn't say Granger or Mudblood. Not since last year when Harry had made a dramatic rescue of Draco from his father who was trying to convince him to go to the dark side. Of course, since Draco didn't want to, Lucious was going to kill him. In return, Draco had to agree to never be rude to them again. Them meant Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny.

"Watch where you're going!" Draco snapped, his thin lips having no trouble forming the slick words. His pale 

skin meshed with his silvery-blonde hair that was cut so that his bangs fell in his face, but the rest was short enough to stay close to his head. Hermione stared at him for a second, blinking. "Are you going to say anything?! Or just sit there?!" She was whipped back to reality in a second's time, a tiny smile perched upon her lips.

"I've got it!!" Hermione said, grinning. "I've got it!" She stood and grabbed Draco's arm and pulled him away from any of the other people. When she had pulled him to a corner, he wrenched his arm out of her grasp, glaring at her.

"What the Hell do you mean, 'you've got it' ?" Draco snapped, his voice smooth and angry. Hermione shoved some hair off of her shoulders, pressing her lips together. This wasn't going to be easy. She was suddenly nervous and she started to play with her fingers. "Granger! I don't have all day!"

"Well, I was hoping you could help me with something..." Hermione's voice trailed off as she stared at the ground. She felt so insignificant, standing only five feet, eight inches while Draco had to be at least six foot, one, if not taller. 

"Why would I want to help you with anything?!" She looked up at him, her face placed in a desperate frown.

"It'll make Ron mad," she offered, the only thing she could think of that would appeal to him at all.

"Is that the only thing you have to offer?" Draco asked impatiently, his eyes glancing all around, as if to make sure he wasn't seen by anyone with a Gryffindor. Hermione nodded, then shook her head, and winced.

"I don't know. I mean...I want Ron back. So I was thinking maybe if I used you -- the one person he hates most -- to pretend you were my boyfriend, then maybe he'd realize what he let go and-"

"No." The word was simple, strong, determined, and unquestionable. Draco disaggreed and Hermione suddenly felt like she might cry. She hadn't succeeded. She hadn't succeeded in keeping her relationship with Ron like she'd wanted, and she hadn't been able to convince Draco. She turned around and walked away, lips hanging apart a bit, her steps weak, and, if she had talked, her words would have been slurred. 

She plopped down sullenly next to Ginny at the Gryffindor table. She didn't even touch her bacon or eggs, she just sat there, staring at it. "Hermione, what's wrong?" Ginny asked her. Hermione put on her best smile and looked up at her. 

"Oh, I was just in space, sorry." She reached out and shoved some eggs down her throat before she realized that she had left her bag, with all of her books, in the hall where she had left Draco. She excused herself from Ginny's presence and jogged back out there, trying to hide the fact that she felt so horrible.

She glanced around the area outside the doors to the Great Hall until she spotted her books over where she had been talking to Draco at. She walked over and noticed a few of her quills on the floor and she knelt to gather them.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk." Hermione looked up to see the face she would have given anything not to see. Electric blue eyes, golden blonde hair, and fair skin glared down at her. She reached down and grabbed Hermione's books, holding them above Hermione's head. Before Hermione could even see what was happening, those books had come down on her head. Hermione felt she sharpest pain soar through her head and heard words before her eyes rolled back into her head and she fell over. "Nobody freezes my hair and gets away with it!"

***

A sudden, cold, wet blast hit her face and she pressed her eyes shut at the sudden shock. She opened her eyes to see only unfocused things in front of her. It looked like...A wand. No, now there were what looked like glasses, yes, glasses. Behind glasses were...green...eyes? Another pair of eyes, silverish, it seemed, against the palest of skin loomed at her. She groaned a bit, blinking until things settled into focus. 

"Hermione? Hermione?" Harry Potter sat in front of her, on his knees. He set his wand down and reached out to brush a single chocolate curl out of her eyes. "Are you alright?" Hermione stared at him a moment before she moaned, the searing pain in her head suddenly very noticable. 

"I think I'm going to kill someone," Hermione said, slowly sitting up while holding the side of her head. Harry looked confused, but Draco Malfoy smirked. He knew she was talking about Lavender Brown. Hermione winced and took her hand from her head. A bit of blood lingered on her fingers. She glanced around slowly, looking for her bag of books. Her bag lay a few feet away, her books, quills, parchment, and ink bottles laying spread around the hallway. 

"Lavender dropped Hermione's books on her head." Draco stated, grabbing Hermione's shoulder and leaning her forward to get a look at her head. Blood mingled in her hair, but not too much. Hermione shivered at his touch. His skin was cold, and she could feel it through her T-shirt. "Doesn't look too bad. Take her to the Hospital Wing. She probably won't be attending classes today."

"I have to go to classes! If I don't, Lavender will think I'm a whimp! She'll make fun of me!" Hermione whined, peering desperately at Harry.

"Hermione, you sound like a little girl. The thing Lavender wants is for you to do what you're doing. She wants you to fight to get back in classes and then she'll tease you. And then you'll get embarrassed. So just stay in the Hospital Wing," Harry stated, not letting Hermione sneak any words in. Hermione wasn't even looking at him; she was staring at Draco, a defeated look on her face. Draco didn't seem to notice, his eyes were on the Quidditch Shedule across the hall. "Hermione? Hermione!" Harry had to grab her shoulder for her attention. 

"What?" Hermione turned to Harry.

"Let's go before a teacher finds you and makes a fuss and everyone comes out here." Harry took Hermione's hand and slowly, very slowly, pulled her to her feet with him. Draco stood as well, a slight smirk dusting his thin tiers. 

"I'll be off to breakfast," he stated, before taking those quick, paced, perfect steps away. He was the perfect thing to get Ron back, and Hermione knew it. Why couldn't he just say yes? Why did he have to be a jerk? This was all his fault in the first place! If he hadn't said no, then Hermione wouldn't have forgotten her books in her sulking, and therefore those books wouldn't have gotten dropped on her head. Of course, anything to make it seem like it wasn't stupidity on Hermione's part was what she searched for.

Hermione and Harry started down the hallway, Hermione stumbling every now and then from having passed out. Miraculously, they didn't meet up with any teachers on the way to the Hospital Wing.

***

Silver eyes dusted and shadowed with slices of silver-blonde hair stared at the table he sat at with Pansy Parkinson next to him. She was acting sensuous. She had been after Draco for years, and God, how he hated her. She flipped her hair, her tight, dark brown, almost black curls from her tanned face. She wasn't as ugly as she used to be, no, not at all. But Draco just didn't find her attractive.

"Mr. Malfoy? Do you know the spell?" That perspicuous voice didn't alter his thoughts.

Hermione Granger floated to view. That pleading voice, the desperation in her expression as she asked him to help her. Some part of him had softened for the geeky know-it-all. This surprised him. Draco Malfoy softened for no one! Especially some Gryffindor Mudblood! A helpless one at that! But, still...He felt bad, actually felt _bad_, for her. He must have really hurt her so much for her to forget her books. She loved her books and she'd forgotten them after he'd refused her. Wow, she must be desperate. And it must have taken some guts to walk up to him and ask him that.

"Mr. Malfoy!" Again, that sagacious voice didn't cut into his head.

Perhaps he should help her? Perhaps he should say yes? Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps. It was all a decision. Did he really want to ruin his reputation by doing this? Did he want to help the reckless girl that had just gotten a bag of books dropped on her head? Did he really want to let people think he was a softy? Did he want to --

__

"Draco Lucious Malfoy!" Now that intolerant voice shoved all of his thoughts away. He looked up quickly to his Transfiguration Professor. Every pair of eyes in the classroom was on him. He didn't blush, no, but he was embarrassed.

"Yes?"

"For the third time, do you know the spell?" Draco glanced to the board, anywhere where he might find a clue as to what she was talking about.

"Can you repeat what the spell performs, please?" Professor McGonagall turned to Blaise Zabini, who had his hand raised. A dark haired boy with strange crimson colored eyes that always had a malicious smirk placed on thin lips was called upon.

"The Sharadeonius spell, Professor." Draco rolled his own eyes, now, being supremely reminded of Hermione. He just didn't know if he should help her now. God, she could certainly be annoying! But, with the right help, she could be pretty...Oh, he didn't know. But he would soon.

***

The Bell to end first period rang and Hermione was sitting outside of the Hospital Wing. It had taken a lot of persuasion of Madam Pomfrey to get her that far. She didn't enjoy the stuffy Hospital Wing. So here she sat, on a bench outside of the Infirmary, feeling drowsy. That spell Madame Pomfrey had put on her to make her head heal had made her feel somnolent. Something caught her attention as she was walking by.

"I think he's starting to like me!" A snobbish voice said. Around the corner came Pansy Parkinson and her friend, Jennifer Mercitus. 

"Who?"

"Draco, duh! I think he was checking me out in Transfiguration! I'm going to ask him to Hogsmeade!" Hermione's heart dropped. If Draco really had been checking Pansy out, then her chance at getting her true love back was slim to none. She really did love Ron. And about the whole Lavender thing -- it was just a...stupid mistake! Yeah, that was it. And that's what Hermione believed. She was still in love with Ron.

She sighed. Her life was just falling apart. She looked down at the floor, feeling quite disappointed. Her eyes stopped on a folded piece of parchment. Her curiosity flared and she walked to the middle of the corridor where it lay. She picked it up and took it back to the bench before she opened it up.

Dear Kita,

Whats up my girl?! Nothing much here. Oh, you wont BELIEVE what I did! I got this boyfriend, Ron, and guess WHAT? He had a girlfriend when we started to get into eachother. So, were together one night, were making out in the library. And his girlfriend, hermione, walks in. She sees us and she runs off crying! What a dork! Can you believe that?! Thats just so stupid! I mean, just because she walked in on her boyfriend and me making out! I was like, uh! Anyways, today she put the frigidius spell on my shower and froze my hair! Can you BELIEVE that? I was like, you little bitch! Anyway, I better get going, this stupid professor is going to yell at me if she catches me writing a note when Im supposed to be copying from the board! OMG, I so have to see you in Hogsmeade this weekend! Write me back before Friday! Love you, muah, muah! Hehe. see you then! 

Love,

Lavender.

P.S. What kind of messed up name is Hermione anyway? Hehehe, shes so nerdy! Curly brown hair and brown eyes. BORING! No wonder Ron sought out me! Hehe, bai, bai, girly!

Hermione's heart broke. She blinked back tears. Was her name really that stupid? Was she really that boring? Was she really a whimp? Was she ugly? She left the note there before she got up and ran down the hallway, forcing tears back down her throat. She would get into trouble for leaving the Infirmary, but she didn't care. 

She turned a corner, and SMACK!

She opened her eyes for the second time, to see silver eyes staring back. Draco? Is that you? She realized she wasn't even talking, and blinked a few times. For the second time today, she'd ended up on the ground. She was going to loose her memory at this rate. She sat up, wincing.

"Are you okay?" That voice had the same, mezmerizing tone as it always did, but the coldness wasn't there. She looked to Draco, who was kneeling next to her. Wow, the second time today. She rubbed her head and remembered how she'd ended up walking around the corner in the first place. The note. The note, written by Lavender Brown, about her. Her eyes fell to the ground, the pain and sadness flowing back in a rush. "Are you okay?" Draco asked again. 

"I -- uh -- I'm fine." Hermione went to get to her feet and wobbled fiercely. Draco grabbed her arm and pulled her back down to the ground. His touch wasn't very gentle, but Hermione hadn't expected it to be. "What?"

"You're not fine," Draco stated plainly. Hermione furrowed her brows, pretending to be angry. Right now, she just wanted to run to her room and cry. 

"I am fine! How would you know how I feel?!" Hermione snapped abruptly. Draco blinked, shrugging like he was messing with her head, which he was.

"I just thought, if you were fine, I wouldn't feel so bad for you," Draco said slowly. Hermione quirked a brow.

"Go on."

"Well, I was thinking about your desperate little 'scheme'. I thought since you'd fallen down so many times...Since Lavender wrote that note about you...Since all of this stuff is happening kind of quick...that I might want to help you," Draco explained. He stood, though, and quickly added, "But you say you're fine so, you obviously don't need my help." With that, Draco turned around and started to walk away. Hermione's mouth hung open and she froze for a second.

"Dr -- Dra -- Draco!" she stuttered, wobbling to her feet and stumbling after him. She caught his arm, grasping it for support as the corridor around her seemed to swirl. "I -- I'm not fine!" Hermione managed, grasping his arm still tighter. His silver eyes danced against hers, cold and expressionless.

"The amazing Granger is asking for help?!" Draco threw his head back and laughed. Hermione again felt defeated, but now the pain of being tricked like that added to the sting. She shoved off of his arm stumbling backwards and nearly falling over backwards. Draco smirked, watching her. "Alright."

Hermione stopped stumbling away and turned and stared at him, her footing suddenly regained. "W -- what?"

"You're asking me to repeat that?" Draco asked snobbishly towards her. Hermione smiled, biting her lip. 

"You're going to help me, then?!" Draco rolled silver eyes and nodded like he didn't want to, which he didn't. 

"Alright means 'yes' in English, doesn't it?" Hermione grinned and ran at him, throwing her arms around his neck, pulling him close. He backed away, removing her arms from his neck in a jerky manner. "Don't touch."

"Alright! Thank you!" Hermione turned and ran off as Madam Pomfrey came around the corner.

"Mr. Malfoy, have you seen Hermione Granger?" Draco smiled and shook his head.

"Haven't seen her all day," Draco lied before turning and walking away.

***

[) Author's Note: If you can't tell, this is a REWRITE of Falling in Love with the Enemy! Yeah, I know I'm supposed to be writing the sequel to FILWTE, but I just realized how messed up and horribly placed the first one was! So, I decided to rewrite it, to make everything a bit more understandable! I hope this is a bit more well-planned! LoLz, in the old one, I had it made out to where Draco's father had been killed, Harry was going out with Cho, but was in love with Ginny, and a few other things. So, I decided to rewrite this, just to get those things straight. Thanks, and please review! (]


	2. Beginning of the End

Adversary Affection

Chapter Two: Beginning of the End

A quiet sigh rippled through the empty library. While most other classes were in session, Hermione Granger had this period free, due to her overload of classes on a regular day. It was only on Tuesdays and Thursdays that she was aloud to have this free period, due to the fact that her Arithmacy class ( the advanced one, mind you! ) only met Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Anyway, next, she would be off to Lunch and then to Transfiguration. 

"Hermione, you are such an idiot for taking all of these classes." But the truth was that Hermione's mind was not on her classes. It was on Hogsmeade this coming Saturday. She supposed that her and Malfoy would have to go together. Well, she supposed she would have to tell someone, too. Namely Parvati and the other girls. They were, after all, the 'Gossip Queens' of Gryffindor Tower. She might tell Harry, too, she proposed silently. But she almost coughed out loud. Secretly, she'd always hidden a slight crush on Harry behind studious walls, but she couldn't think she could bear to see his face if she told him personally. Perhaps she could tell him — but no, that would never work. But as Hermione imagined the way Harry would react when he found out from Parvati and Kaira or overheard the Ravenclaws discussing what a disgrace she had become, her mind flopped. Hermione's knees suddenly weakened. Oh, what would everyone think? She'd be hated, skinned alive, shunned from her house —

"Miss Granger, will you _please_ calm down! There is nothing to be so upset about!" Madam Pince was in front of her. Hermione realized she had been whimpering and her hands were over her mouth. She quickly sobered and grabbed the books she had sitting on the table in front of her, standing on legs that were jelly. 

"So sorry, Madam Pince, I was exaggerating something about an assignment that I feared was due today. But, I guess I mixed up my dates." Without catching the roll of Madam Pince's eyes, Hermione brushed past, hurrying past the large doors. 

***

"Miss Parkinson, could you please tell the class why you keep giving Mr. Malfoy glares sharp enough to cut wood?" Professor Sprout asked as Pansy was caught glaring malevolently at Draco. Pansy's eyes narrowed at the professor and she stood up, looking pompous and angry. She crossed her arms beneath her chest and tilted her head. 

"Rumor has it that _Mr. Malfoy_ is dating." Professor Sprout's eyebrow rose and a few snickers littered the greenhouse.

"And what is so horrendous about that?" Pansy wrinkled her nose in disgust at Draco, whose face was cold as ice and expressionless at the same time.

"Well, the rumor is that he's dating a certain seventh year Mudblood. A Gryffindor mudblood at that!" A gasp rose from the class and Professor Sprout looked irked. Whispers began to circulate before Pansy could let a nasty smirk creep over her lips. Draco looked cool as ever, but it did seem that all eyes had turned on him. That expressionless face was set in stone as he stared at Pansy. _He's mocking me._

__

Yes, Pansy, I'm mocking you.

"I don't see where my personal life comes into Herbology classes, but have at it. Rake me over with questions and beat me with accusations." Draco's eyes turned from Pansy's now sober face to Professor Sprout. "Professor, before the class has at me, do you mind if I wash from my hands this nasty rash? I do believe it was from the Conglomeroush plants you passed around; I fear I might be allergic." Draco was good, smooth, while everyone had been watching Pansy as she spoke, he had magically made hives appear on his arms, nasty, red and purple ones at that. 

"Oh, Draco, why didn't you say something sooner? Please go up to Madam Pomfrey!" Sprout gestured towards the door. Draco rose and slipped out the door, and he could hear Pansy's words.

"Draco Malfoy _is_ dating Hermione Granger! He is, I heard it myself!" And more faintly as he walked, the professor's voice.

"_Miss_ Parkinson, if you do not _shut your mouth_, you'll land your little behind in detention faster than someone can say. . ." Draco shook his head. He tapped his arms ( one at a time ) and spoke, " Clearionos". The hives disappeared and he decided he'd reside in the Library. His smooth steps carried him beyond the front door of Hogwarts, though, and to the lake. He set up on a rock that reached out over the lake and lay on it, belly down. Resting his head on his folded arms, he stared at the midnight blue water, his reflection pale against the pallor of the liquid. His eyes were dull, looking black in his reflection because of the sun's light. His bangs fell in his eyes and he sighed. He was regretting his decision to help Granger. The school was going to turn on him, wonder what sick thoughts had gotten into his head. 

Draco shook his head and stood, removing his robes, shirt, shoes and socks. Now, only outfitted in his black slacks, he leapt off his rock and into the water, making barely a splash.

***

Hermione glanced at the clock in the hallway just as she was about to ascend the stairs to go to lunch. She moaned. Lunch didn't start for another twenty minutes. So, deciding it was a nice day, she headed outside. She wandered down by the greenhouses, looking to pick some flowers to send to her mother, remembering her birthday was soon. But a voice snapped her out of her dreamy state ( that which she had acquired in coming outside on such a beautiful day ). 

"Are you sure it was Hermione Granger, Pansy?"

"I am sure! He's dating her, I heard him talking! I swear, I'm not lying!" Hermione dropped the violets she had gathered. As the purple flowers it the ground, Hermione took off running. Pansy knew. _Pansy knows._ Hermione's chest was heaving as she threw herself against the ground a few feet away from the lake. She blinked furiously, on her knees, trying not to cry. No, she wasn't ready to tell Harry, yet. She was ready to be hated and shunned. She was ready to face this. _I'm facing this alone._ Hermione crawled over to the bank, looking over to stare at her reflection. She, again, wondered if she was ugly. Was she? And was her name really stupid? Was she boring? Nerdy? Was she really —

"Ahh!" Hermione leaned back, trying to scramble backwards, away from the figure that had burst forth and nearly collided with her. But pale somethings had grabbed her feet; yanking her shoes and socks off, nearly climbing on top of her to get her robes off. Hermione screamed again, fearing she was being raped by some kind of lake creature. She was flailing before she was drug beneath the water.

The hands that had her feet released their grip and swap to the top with her, only eyes and above out of the water, staring at her. Hermione coughed some, treading water, brushing her soaking wet hair out of her eyes. She blinked at the - the _person_ staring at her. "Malfoy?" His eyes were searching hers before his face came out of the water, spitting water in her face. She ducked, dipping some of her face in the water again, whimpering slightly. 

"Draco Malfoy, _what_ are you doing out of class?!" Hermione proposed as she whirled on him, trying to peal her sweater off in the water, as it was weighing her down.

"I am swimming. What does it look like? For, surely, I am not drowning." Hermione looked vexed. Draco smirked. And Hermione's thoughts lingered back to the words that had clouded her mind and caused her to end up here. Hermione's head hung as she clambered back onto the bank, her knee-skirt clinging to her legs, giving them define shape, as well as her white tee. Her sweater had been discarded and lay beside her. 

"What is it?" Draco's voice was cold, but something was different. He seemed to be civil, slightly. Not so rude and self-centered towards her, now. Hermione shook her head, her wet curls hanging down in front of her face and her bangs sticking to her forehead. She looked wild, her hair loose and her make-up smeared, for what she wore of it. She closed her eyes and a sadness came over her. It wasn't just sadness; denial, regret, fright. She didn't want to be hated. She opened her eyes and looked up at Draco, her cinnamon hued eyes lacking something, although Draco could not decipher what. 

"He won't understand. And he'll tell me Ron isn't worth it. But, for some reason, I feel like he is." Hermione ducked her head, again, her curls falling once again. She swallowed before she continued. "He told me I was pretty." Hermione's voice broke. No one, (excluding her family) had ever called her pretty. Well, except Victor Krum, but she did not feel that counted. Draco had gotten out of the water without Hermione's even noticing and he tilted her head upwards, into the pale sunlight that sent her pale face into golden hues. 

"Just because no one else has ever called your pretty doesn't mean that they don't think it." Draco's voice was slightly softer, the tone there wise, smooth. Hermione stared at him, searching his eyes for the light she felt she could find in everyone. But it was not there, only void, cold, steel gray. 

"Why does everybody think that Lavender is pretty? I thought...your personality named you beautiful." Hermione's voice was unstable and cracking from the few tears that had moved down her cheeks seconds before. Draco smirked again.

"I don't think Lavender is pretty. For someone to think she is pretty, they must be blind. She has a terrible personality. I'm sure Ron is blind. You are so innocent. You have major self-improvement skills to work on, Granger." Draco stood and moved back to the rock where his clothes were. Hermione watched him, watched the way he moved. As if the world weren't on his shoulders, as if he were carefree and no one would hate him after they found out about their little scheme. Draco sat down on the edge of the rock, his legs dangling over the edge, his feet bare, as well as his torso. Hermione had failed to notice thus before and she found herself quite surprised that he had not commented on her own, clinging clothing. 

"Dr — Malfoy?" Hermione hesitated, not because she had almost called him Draco, but because of the question was about to ask him. Her eyes were even hesitant, still slightly frightened. She seemed like a child lost in a world full of annoyed adults; innocent but disliked for what she was doing there. Draco's eyes flickered to hers and back over the lake, again, as if indicating he was listening. "Do. . .you, uh, think —"

"Do I think you are pretty? You would be if you'd act like it. You act as if everyone thinks that you are disgusting. You are not the scum of the Earth, Granger." And he never faltered once.

***

Hermione slumped into dinner in a new outfit that consisted of Ginny's plaid, blue skirt and white, three-quarter length sleeved shirt. She looked different, one could tell. Hermione Granger had blush patted onto powdered cheeks. Black eyeliner lines her eyes with dark blue shadow fading up on her eye lids. A nice lipstick was on her lips, as well, matching the rest of her make-up. Shiny cinnamon curls were taken back into a high ponytail, a black barrette holding them. She clearly looked irked. She walked over to the Gryffindor table, glaring at Ginny. Hermione had wasted the first ten minutes of dinner trying to make the make-up she wore less evident. She gave up after she nearly ruined all of the eye shadow. 

Ron's eyes were on her, she could feel them. Ginny grinned, tilted her head, her on red curls taken back into a low ponytail. But Ron wasn't what Hermione was worrying about. Eyes were on her. Talking had slowly hushed and now whispers followed her. Hermione felt herself begin to tremble. She didn't move. The only thing she did was look to the Slytherin table. And was surprised to find Draco Malfoy on his way towards her. His gait was smooth, a slight smile pasted on his lips. She could see it in his eyes, the force he put into keeping the smile on his face. Hermione felt she might faint. The pressure. She forced a slight smile as well and watched as he came to a stop. Hermione's hands had been clasped to her just below her bosom and Draco took her one, turning her fingers just right so that his lips could brush along her knuckles.

Draco pulled her up to her feet, tilting his head slightly. Past Draco, Hermione could see Pansy's eyes on her. And Draco's eyes flickered to Ron, who was also watching. Lavender, beside him, rolled her eyes. Draco dipped his head in a slight bow, bringing his eyes back to Hermione's, just as hers came back to his.

"May I escort thee to a more private location to dine?" Hermione was extremely flattered and something in her mind told her that she was not just feeling the butterflies in her stomach because of all of the eyes on her. Hermione nodded, smiling.

"Yes, thy may." Hermione's smile never faded as Draco escorted her beyond the Great Hall doors and outside. He left her standing on the front steps, moving away from her. She watched him, her brows knitting in confusion. She stood there for at least five minutes, feeling stupid. Was he coming back for her? Was she supposed to slip through another door to move to her common room to retire for the night? Hermione's eyes moved the sky. Pale pink faded into amethyst which faded into a light sapphire blue. Bright stars littered the night and she found that the sun had just finished setting and the last rays of light were descending from the horizon. Dazed as she was, Hermione did not realize that a house elf had appeared before her. 

"Excuse Kinsy, ma'am. Kinsy was ordered to take Miss Hermione to dinner with Mr. Malfoy. Kinsy does not wish to seem a foul elf and wishes that the Miss Hermione would please come with her?" Hermione's attention was caught on the house elf, pretty one she was, despite her large nose. Light green eyes and tanned skin, her ears were just the right size for her head, her hair a mocha brown and combed neatly, falling to her middle back. Dressed in a white sheet that was twisted to look like a dress, the house elf that called herself Kinsy gestured for Hermione to followed.

Hermione followed, and bid Kinsy a thank you as Kinsy left her at the entrance to the Gardens of Hogwarts. A trellice was lingering over her, beautiful pink flowers laced with green vines throughout it. Hermione's eyes shone up onto them, falling in love with the scenery that she'd never really been presented with before. A hand startled her, having pulled the barrette from her hair, her long chocolate curls falling down around her. And a flower was placed in her hair by pale fingers before he slipped around to face her.

He was dressed in a nice shirt and black slacks, his hair combed as usual. The look on his face was fake as it had been before. But it was so fake now that it wasn't even encouraging. Hermione's own smile faded. Instead, she now felt uncomfortable and shy, as if she were that same unwanted child with the adults as she had before, out on the grounds. 

"Miss Hermione, please take a seat. We have much to discuss." Hermione hated the tone in his voice, literally, she wished she could rip his vocal chords out and tear them to shreds. The snooty, undesired tone told her exactly what he was there to speak with her about. She couldn't help but feel used all over again. He was going to break it off and nothing was going to work the way she had planned it all. Another thing; he'd said her first name. Even though he'd had to force it, which she was able to tell. 

"Draco, please. I have it all planned out —" Hermione argued as she was led to her chair and sat down, her large, praying eyes on him. Draco shook his head, taking his seat across from her at their little two-person table. A rose-pink colored tablecloth was draped over it and a few lights were shining. Fairies were flitting among the many flowers and rose bushes, making everything seem, well, magically perfect. Like Hermione envisaged her and Ron. Something was wrong.

"Hermione, please, let us dine before we speak of anything." Draco's voice was icily sweet and seemed caked; frosted. Hermione heard the whispers, the slight rustles and such; Pansy and her goons were watching. Hermione could not point out their distinct location, but she felt the eyes on her, watching her every move. Draco had planned something other than what Hermione had. Oh, she hated him even more so, now.

"Aw'right." Hermione nodded as two house elves appeared with menus, setting them in front of Draco and Hermione before leaving. A third, Kinsy, was then at their side, a small sheet of parchment and a dainty little quill in her hands. 

"May Kinsy take Mr. Malfoy and Miss Hermione's order" Kinsy seemed to be slightly nervous now that Draco was there. He opened his menu and his eyes barely moved over it before he considered and decided.

"I'll have the chicken breast and garden salad."

"Kinsy d-does believe that soup comes with that order, Mr. Malfoy, sir," Kinsy looked as if she were ready to take several steps back, or to cowar. Hermione watched them, her menu not even open.

"Ah, yes. A bowl of vegetable soup, then. And sparkling white grapejuice for the both of us." Draco's eyes moved to Hermione's and he could see the nervous manner that had taken over her, as well. "Hermione?"

"Oh, ah, yes. I'll just have a garden salad, then." Kinsy nodded politely and took both of their menus.

"Kinsy will return with your dinners promptly. Kinsy bids you ma'am and sir good eve." And with that, Kinsy turned and hurried away, back into shadows in which Hermione could not see. Hermione licked her lips as a different elf, one dressed in a sky blue sheet, wrapped as Kinsy's had been, came to them, carrying the bottle of sparkling grapejuice Draco had ordered. Hermione did not lick her lips because she was thirsty. This was surreal! Why was this going on? Because he knew everybody would most likely follow them outside and he wanted to make a good show of it? Hermione wanted to moan and just quit. She could never get comfortable with Draco Malfoy serving her candlelit dinners.

"Ma'am, sir, Lanka brings yous your Sparkling Grapejuice, now." Hermione was distracted by the elf, but Draco, obviously was not, as he began to spoke while 'Lanka' poured wine glasses with the yellow-ish, white liquid. 

"Hermione, whatever did catch you attention about me?" Draco was so formal, now. And suddenly, Hermione felt out of place. He was dressed nicely and she was wearing, well, a white blouse and a short, plaid skirt. And her hair had been taken down as well, due to Draco. She felt like she was black and white in a vividly colored portrait. 

"Ah, I, I supposed it was your...your...." Hermione faltered. Nothing about Draco appealed. Well, to anyone else, Draco's thin structure, slight build, and sharp features would attract. But love for appearance was something Hermione had always found repulsive. And she could almost feel the breaths of Pansy and the others catch as she hesitated in her answer. "Probably your pompous air. I do believe you are quite, er, the scandalicious type of person, as well. Brave, and cunning. Attractive as well, if not more." Hermione chose her words carefully, hesitating a bit in between words. Draco looked please. He nodded.

"If it is not the truth, I do not know what is." Draco took his glass of juice and brought it to his lips, tipping it slightly to down some of it's contents. Hermione nodded faintly and also took her glass, bringing it to her lips. But before Draco could move on with his plan, Hermione set her glass down and spoke.

"Well, Draco. Since you wished to know why I found interest in you, perhaps you can tell me what you find attractive?" Hermione's words had not been so childish this time. Moreover, they were slightly game, a quirk of her brow as she did bring her glass back to his lips. The thing about Draco that Hermione hated was that he was constantly smooth; never faltering. She did catch him slightly off-guard, though. He knit his blonde brows and set his glass down, and Hermione could tell he was thinking.

"I do believe that your intelligence is a turn on and I find you most impassioned in your beliefs. Not to mention that I find you most attractive, much more so than Pansy Parkinson, the girl who has not laid off my heels since first year. I do so find your attitude to be better, as well." Hermione was taken aback. Her intelligence was a _turn on_? Hermione felt her cheeks redden and she turned her head downward. 

"Kinsy has brought the ma'am and sir their dinner!" Kinsy appeared, three other elves with her. Two carrying all of Draco's meal and one with Hermione's garden salad. She nodded politely and, again, they were bid a good evening. Hermione took a fork and began to eat her salad quickly, hoping to get to leave. But Draco took his time, seeming to keep her there. 

He set his silverware down shortly and stoor. The second he stood, music played, beautiful music, from somewhere in the shadows of the gardens. Hermione was caught off guard and she just stared at Draco as he moved next to her chair, his hand outstretched. "My dear, may I have this dance?" Hermione looked right into his eyes and the strangest thing was that his eyes were not on her. They were past her, and the look there was pure malice. Hermione quickly stood, taking his hand, blocking hid view of whatever she knew he was seeing. 

"Yes, Draco, you may." The accent on his name snapped him back to her attention and she nodded before he brought her hand, fingers laced with his own, off to the side, his other at her waist while her other tentatively layed on his shoulder. But Hermione had not expected this sort of dance. She felt she was in a reniassance! She did not know how to dance like this, so when Draco whisked her off backwards and to the left, she just tried to keep up and move her feet the right way. It was not easy in the black heels Ginny suggested she wear to make her taller, nor was it so in the short skirt. 

"Get off!" Hermione was startled as the voice came from nowhere and everywhere at the same time. She knew the voice and the blood in her veins went cold. Draco was knocked from her grasp as something – someone – came between them. She stumbled back into the table barely knocking it, a hand over her mouth. 

"Harry – no!" Draco took out his pocket knife while Harry had him on the ground, moving to grasp his wand in his pocket. Draco's deft hands brought the knife up to slash at Harry's cheek before knocking him away. Hermione pushed off of the table, stumbling in between them, one of her heels broke, but she kept her footing. "Stop it!" Harry made a move for Draco, again, despite Hermione's presence in between them. And she threw herself against him, holding him back, whispering feverently, knowing Pansy and the others that had been watching were staring in awe. "Harry, I know what I'm doing. It's not what it looks like. It's all just a play, please, just stop! And please, don't tell anyone!" She pulled away from him, then. He looked down at her with disgust written on his face. But Harry's hand rose above Hermione's reach and chucked a small blade at Draco as well. It knicked him, sending a straight gash down the corner of his lips, blood suddenly tainting his perfectly pale skin. The own cut on Harry's cheek had bled as well, the blood smeared. Draco glared at Harry, his bangs hanging down in his eyes.

"What's going on out here?" Hermione stepped back from Harry as a disgruntled McGonagall and Snape appeared before the trellice. She looked over to her professors for only a second before the expressions on their faces caused her to look down, again. A tear ran down her cheek and before anyone else could talk, she stepped forward.

"It's just a mis understanding, all right? I'll explain it all, Draco and Harry didn't know —" 

"Then you'd better start explaining, eh, Granger?" Snape said, his voice cold and malicious towards her. She felt her lip tremble. 

"Not here. People are watching." McGonagall stated. "Come, Draco, Harry. You are both to get yourselves fixed up before you come to hear what Miss Granger has to say." Hermione's arm was grapsed by Snape as he pulled her along with them. Harry hated to watch her stand up for this, but at the same time, he hated what she'd done. Draco was just as upset with Harry as he was with himself, watching Hermione's face, her reputation being slashed in front of the others that had been watching all night.

***

Hermione's cheeks were littered with tears as she stared down at her hands in her lap. Sitting in a chair in Professor Snape's office, Harry and Draco beside her. Hermione wondered to herself, _How could this have gotten so out of control? All I wanted was to make someone jealous._

"Granger, explain why my boy and Potter are presented with scars from blades over you!" Snape spat, glaring at her. McGonagall looked irked as well, but not nearly so as much as Snape.

"I. . .I –"

"Just talk!" Snape snapped, cause Hermione to flinch. Harry stared at her, his mixed feelings causing him to look sad. He wanted to dig her out of this hole and watch her face as he fell inside. But at the same time, he wanted to chuck dirt in and bury her with all of her stupid ideas about Malfoy.

"I was having dinner with Draco and Harry just; he didn't understand; he didn't know. And he attacked Draco – it was all a misunderstanding! He just didn't understand –" 

"There has to be more to this stupid tale!" Snape bellowed again at Hermione. She pressed her tears down her throat, brushed her hair away from her face. And into her hands, the flower that Draco has set in her hair fell down. She stared at it and then brought her eyes up to glare at Professor Snape.

"No! That is exactly what happened!" she snapped, bringing her eyes away, again. Snape seemed amazed she would snap at him. 

"Perhaps you shall think differently next time. Detention, all of you, with me. At the same time, I will have you meet here at seven O'clock sharp. Tomorrow. You are dismissed!" Snape snapped and watched as they all stood and moved out.

***

Hermione did not get even a look from Harry all day. And whispers followed her everywhere. One thing she did notice, though, was that Ron had been watching her some, and he even talked to her a little bit.

"Hey, Hermione." 

"Oh, hullo."

"I, uh, just wanted to say you're pretty stupid for dating Malfoy. You know he's just bringing you down." Ron's words stung, but they were wise. Hermione glared at him and stopped walking, taking her books in one arm. She pointed at him.

"Yeah, well, I must be pretty damned stupid then. I dated you and all you did was play me!" Hermione turned around and walked away, again, in Ginny's clothing. Ron glared after her.

"At least Lavender isn't afraid to kiss me!"

"Ast least Draco doesn't just want me for sex!" 

Hermione sighed. Today had not been fun. She lay her head in her arms, sitting at a table in the corner of the Common Room. It was her lunch hour. She refused to stay in the public areas unless it was for classes. A knock at the window brought her head off of her arms. Draco was there, on his broom. Hermione stood up and waved him up to her dorm, being that the only window in the Gryffindor Tower Common Room was above the tall book cases. She raced up to her dorm, ready for conversation that wasn't particularly rude. 

She threw open her windows, letting Draco step inside. Hermione ran her fingers back through her hair, the black spagghetti strap she wore shorter than the white one beneath. And the black, white, and red plaid skirt she wore today was a good contrast. Too bad everyone was too bust hating her to notice. But Draco noticed.

"I see you've gone into a new ensamble. I don't mind it." Hermione stared at him blankly for a second before she lunged towards him, throwing her arms around him, hugging him close to her. 

"Everybody hates me!" she wailed, though she could feel the discomfort radiating from Draco in waves. But Hermione was too upset. She was sure Harry hated her. Only one person was talking to her besides Draco, and that was Ginny. Ginny was her only friend, but Ginny was also a social butterfly who had other friends. Ginny spent the evenings with Hermione. 

"Now, I'm sure they do not." Draco tried to comfort Hermione, but he could feel it in her body, the tension, the fright. She was scared to death of being hated. She didn't deserve this. Draco pulled her away, his hands on her shoulders, his eyes stern as well as his face. She stared back, her face streaked with tears.

"But nobody will talk to me! And Harry. . . " Hermione's voice cracked.

"Hermione, please. Just forget about Ron. We can stop doing this right now, it's no big deal. I'm sure they're all just in shock." Draco felt so responsible, so accountable for ruining her life. He didn't want to hurt her. Did he? In the beginning, he figured it was just a way to rile up some fun, let everyone know about her plan and let her take all the taunts and things. Now, he just wanted to disappear and let her life go back to normal. She was suffering.

"No! Ron means everything to me! I can't just. . .stop." Hermione wiped her eyes. You should go before someone comes in and sees you." Hermion brushed her hair away from her face. Draco nodded, doing as she wished.

"I'll see you in detention, Hermione." Hermione watched him leave, watched his deft movements and the way the wind blew his hair around as he mounted his broom from the window sill and flew off. She moved forward to the sill and looked down over it, since Draco had plunged downward. He was nowhere to be seen.

***

Hermione's stomach turned and flipped as she took slow steps down to the Dungeons. She was glad she hadn't eaten all day; had she done so, she feared she might just throw it up. She stared at the door that she was supposed to walk into in two minutes. She swallowed. She didn't know if she could face Harry. She was sure that he hated her. She was so sure of it she nearly cried. But she moved forward and slipped into the office. Her eyes rose from the floor up to Draco's silver eyes and beyond, Harry's green ones. Draco was closer to her and she wanted to fall against him like she had done before, back in her dorms. But she could not, not with Snape and Harry present.

Draco watched Hermione. He was sure she was near to passing out from lack of food and pressure. She looked pale and sick, her hair falling in front of her eyes and her clothes changed from the nice tanks and skirt to a knee-skirt and a sweater. Draco's mind wanded back to the dormitories earlier. Such bright, red and gold decorations. How could she sleep at night? He was sure that the carpeting glowed and the bed sheets had to be luminous as well. But they were like her, he thought. She was something else was she was happy. 

"Right. Granger, you're to scrub every one of these tabletops until they shine and then you'll do the floor. Potter, you're on tidying all of the ingredients in all of the classs' cabinents. Alphabetical order. Malfoy, you're to alphabetize those four bookshelves there. I don't care if you're here all night long. You will not leave until I've approved of your jobs." Snape had appeared from the back room, where his files and folders, where he was when he wasn't in the classroom. He gave them what them what they needed to do their jobs and left them in there, alone. Hermione sighed and without a word, went to work scrubbing the tops of the desks.

"Hermione, you shouldn't be down here. You do know that, don't you?" Draco's voice echoed, a slight cold tone there, as if it was because of Harry's presence. Harry pretended he were alone, as if the girl he'd been best friends with forever weren't there.

"This is as much my fault as yours, if not, more." Hermione said quietly, her voice seeming distant. Draco turned his eyes on her, steel pupils searching her movements and her expression. He went back to alphabetizing the books, deciding to remain quiet. 

Hours passed and no one said anything. It had to have been at least three hours ago the three seventh years had gathered here and not another word had been uttered. Hermione was scrubbing the floor under a desk, Draco was on the third bookshelf and Harry was on the fifth year's cabinent. 

"Hermione, God, why?" The noise startled everyone, Draco knocked over the pile of books he had been (alphabetically) placing on the shelf and Hermione hit her head on the table she was under. Harry had been talking. Hermione's head appeared above the table, her eyes on Harry, her movements hesitant.

"Why what?" 

"Why Malfoy?" Hermione sighed.

"Because Ron doesn't like Draco. Ron hates Draco. I thought if I explained it to you, you'd understand. But you stopped talking to me after that night and..." Hermione voice trailed off. She was shivering in the cold of the dungeon. Her robes had gotten soaked on accident, so she had had to remove them. Draco stood and moved over to her, placing his robes around her shoulders before walking away. Hermione felt better, but she couldn't keep her eyes on Harry. She kept looking over at Draco. Why was he doing this, even now? They had no one to play for...Maybe he just felt sorry for her. Yes, he did.

"But...Why didn't you tell me before I found out?"

"I wasn't ready...I just wanted to tell you at the right time, when I had my courage up."

"Well, I mean, I'll forgive you if you forgive me."

"Forgive you for what?"

"For landing you here and slashing your boyfriend's mouth open." Hermione quirked a brow.

"He's not my boyfriend. But you did land me here. And you should apologize to him for slashing his lip open, not me." Hermione watched Harry. Draco watched the books. He listened. He felt like a ghost. For some stupid, idiotic reason...He wished this weren't a sick game being played on Ron. He wished he had a girlfriend. One that loved him for his 'pompous, cunning, and brave' talents. But, for some reason, he didn't feel brave. He felt rather self-centered. He had no idea that friendship could make someone cry so hard or that a certain boy could make the perfect girl in school do something like this. 

"Pssh."

"I forgive you," Hermione glanced over at Draco. Secretly, she wished he would include himself in their conversation. She'd always seen it in his eyes, the lonliness; the alone sense that he always seemed to have. She didn't think anyone had ever hugged him before. Not like she'd done earlier. 

"I forgive you, too, Hermione." Harry was hugging her before she realize and she felt a weight come off of her heart, but there was still something dragging her down. She stood up and walked over to Draco. She felt like doing what she'd wanted to do since she the first time she'd seen the separation in his eyes. 

"Draco?" Thhose gray eyes turned up to her and she knelt down and wrapped her arms around him. He stared at her with a weird look on his face before he looked at Harry, who had his head tipped upwards, his expression that of someone who was witnessing something grand. Draco then wrapped his arms around her as well, but she pulled away before long. Hermione smiled. "You're not nearly as bad as you look." Draco smirked.

***

[ Author's note: I definitely am proud of this chapter. I like the things that happened. Now that I've finished this one, (with all of it's action-packed-ness!), I might just hurry and write the next one! I hope I'll get a lot of reviews! ]


	3. Through the Veins

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Poison

Chapter Three: Through the Veins

__

"I wanna love you but I better not touch, don't touch,

I wanna hold you but my senses tell me to stop,

I wanna kiss you but I want it too much, too much,

I wanna taste you but you lips are venomous poison...

You're poison running through my veins.

I don't wanna break these chains...

Poison..."

Alice Cooper // Poison // Trash

Harry Potter's emerald green eyes did not rest on the board where notes were etching themselves mercilessly, describing multiple dates and actions during some sort of Wizard Revolution in 1498. His hand supported a pale cheek and he stared at Ron. Ron was taking down the notes. Blank, yes, Harry thought so, too. Ron never took down these notes. Well, unless he was really upset. And he had been so, lately. The screaming he had heard was echoing in his mind. Harry flinched.

__

"Do you think I'm blind, Ron?! I see you watching her and that blonde Slytherin! I know_ you want her back!" _

"Lavender, I wouldn't take that book worm bitch back, any day! She's way too boring and she never shows any skin!" 

"Lately she has been! All those short skirts and low cut shirts; Ron, I swear!"

"Just calm down! Nothing is going on!"

"You're lying! I swear, if you ever cheat on me—"

"I won't! Why're you so paranoid—"

"Me? Paranoid? Ha! You're the one..."

Harry had been able to hear them late into the night, ranting and arguing. Ron hadn't spoken a word to anyone since. At least not that Harry had heard. On the other hand, Harry's eyes wandered to Hermione, who was also taking down notes. But she looked brighter. She must've felt better, now that he was talking to her again. But there was something else, there. Harry saw the happiness in her very complexion! What was going on? Didn't Hermione want Ron? Was she really going to go so far as to look happy when him and Lavender were fighting? Or did she even realize she was? 

***

"We will be working in partners, today. I will choose them. You will be concocting the visifectious potion. It makes one invisible. Partners will be as follows: Brown and Bullstrode; Goyle and Patil; Potter and Zambini..."

Not that Hermione was paying attention anyway! She wondered who she'd get paired with. Silently, she prayed for Ron...or even Draco, just for the fun of it. Something in her still wanted to see Ron suffer; to see him watch her playing happy; to hurt him like he'd hurt her. She figured once he'd had enough, she just 'dump' Draco and them go out with Ron. Gosh, she thought. I feel like Lavender or Ginny! 

"...Weasley and Malfoy; Granger and Parkinson. That is all. Get your ingredients." Hermione did a double take, out of nowhere. 

"_What?!_" she said aloud, standing up, her wide, clear eyes on Professor Snape. Snape glared at her.

"If you'd like another detention, Granger, please, repeat your inquiry. If not, I suggest you sit. Now." The sneer that turned on Snape's nose was one of utmost hatred. Hermione gave him a glare to rival his own and sat down, but with her lips pulled taut. Ugh, Pansy? Just who she'd love to converse with. Hermione wondered how Snape always knew who she didn't want to be partnered with. Harry'd made out better than her, this time, too! Blaise Zambini. Sure, she was a stuffed shirt, but she was pretty, and she had no trouble feeding Harry pretty smiles and sweet words. Ugh, it made Hermione sick!

"Oh, Granger. I can only descry your imbecility patently. It is a pity you have to be so obtuse. I thought I informed you to let Draco alone! You do not listen." Hermione just turned up her nose at the use of her words! Surely, she had rehearsed that! For Pansy Parkinson to be able to know what half of those words meant was...farcical! Certainly she hadn't brought that out of her head? 

"Well, Parkinson, I surmise I will behave as I please. I do not envision you as my mother!" Hermione stood abruptly, then, and went to get the ingredients from the nearly empty cabinent. She fumed while she was there, sharply snatching certain things, although pretending to look for things she already had in hands just to take longer. And a sudden voice was against the back of her neck, quiet breathe chilling her skin.

"Just let her alone. . .She won't bother you too much longer." Draco's voice comforted her in a way she was unused to. Hermione smiled and looked at Draco with that smile, although more for show than for Draco, himself.

"Oh, Draco, how I wish we were partners! I do miss your company! Instead, I have to waste it with that girl who seems to hate me because I'm going out with you! Isn't that terrible?" Hermione's eyes were so light in their tinge of cinnamon almost a light yellow. They reminded Draco of owl's eyes. And still, it all fit together; Hermione was wise beyond her years. 

"Yes, I wish so, too. And yes, that is terrible." Draco's voice was feathery light, but it was also given away by the way he looked down at his hands, in which was encased an open note invisible to the rest of the class. He re-read his own, messy scrawl. 

__

Are you still sure you want to go through with this? I have a feeling things will arise that we do not need or want. Please, reply to me. Draco

His fingers came down harshly upon it, thin as they were, the paper was crushed. He reached for his ingredients and Hermione gave him a slightly misunderstanding gaze before she turned her eyes to the ground and walked back to her table. He couldn't be backing out! Was he? Maybe he was just having a bad day — 

"Start the fire!" Pansy hissed through nearly violet colored lips. Hermione eyed the abundance of fuscia eye makeup she wore, too. Hermione turned up her nose before she set to work on the potion, deciding that she would do the potion; Pansy could sit and watch. Hermione grabbed the Root of Jakoyt and began to chop it into teeny tiny slices with a knife, her eyes on her work. Pansy took the time to sneer before she coughed and brought her arm up to cover her mouth; in the process, an elbow was taken to Hermione's right arm and the knife she held sunk into her left forefinger, deep. 

"Ahh!" Pansy jumped back, hiding a smile.

"Oh, my gosh!" Pansy exclaimed fakely, fanning her face. "I'm so sorry, Hair-moyn!" Pansy purposely mispronounced Hermione's name. Snape rolled his eyes with a sigh as Hermione clutched her hand close to her chest, the blood oozing through her fingers. A chair tumbled over as Ron was half way across the room to her.

"You put her up to it, Malfoy!" Ron yelled as he placed his hand on Hermione's back, beginning to lead her away from the tables. Snape stopped him, Draco looking helplessly on. It was strange, but no one even watched Draco. And he was glad for it; he knew he looked completely aghast at Hermione and the accusation he'd received. He licked his lips as Snape sneered down on Ron.

"Weasley, sit down!" 

"She has to go to the Hospital Wing!" Ron snapped back, his defiance overruling the fact that he was nearly yelling at a teacher. 

"She can go alone, I'm sure!" But when Ron let go of Hermione to argue with the professor, she toppled to the ground, fainting from the back that this was all happening so quickly. Draco was over a table and through Pansy and her friends in seconds, grabbing Hermione and carrying her out of the door while Ron glared after him.

***

Draco paced in front of the door to the infirmary. He felt it was really his fault this had happened. And, being that he was never one for hurting people in the sense of blood anymore, he was slightly worried. Draco's face was hard as stone and he stopped to stare at the door that read 'Infirmary' in gold letters, again. 

"God!" Draco banged on the door once, before he took a seat on the bench next to it. Why wouldn't Madam Pomfrey let him in?! It was just a cut to her finger, wasn't it? In not even a minute, Draco was up and pacing, again.

"Mr. Malfoy! If you cannot contain yourself, I will have you ordered back to your classes! Miss Granger is in no condition to see anyone!"

"It's just a cut on her finger!" Draco emphasized 'finger', his silver eyes tinged with almost a blue as he fumed at the Nurse.

"It might just be a cut, Mr. Malfoy, but there was the poison of the Root of Jakoyt in her blood and it is not an easy poison to remove! And if you don't stop distracting me, I fear she might go blind! Now, sit!" The nurse's words had knocked frightened sense into Draco and he sat down, glaring at the door. 

"Jesu—"

"You put her up to it! How much did you pay her? A week of sleeping with her?!" Ron was in front of him, then, looming a good five inches above Draco once he stood. But Draco still had the arrogance of his natural air and seemed to be just as tall as the Weasley boy, if not, taller.

"I didn't put her up to anything! Why would I do that to my own girlfriend? And, besides, isn't _your_ girlfriend a bit upset that you made such a fuss over a boring, book worm bitch?" Draco sneered, having left Hermione off at the tower the night before and having heard them. It was a real miracle the entire school hadn't heard!

"You toplofty scoundrel, you prat, you better run!" Ron threw a swing at Malfoy and Draco ducked it, dodging a lower aimed one just after. Draco backed himself up against the door to the infirmary for the escape he would make. Ducking beyond the labeled door just as Ron threw another swing; that swing would leave him with bloody knuckles.

Draco relaxed some as he heard Ron cursing when he locked the door. 

"Alohomora!" Ron said with anger in his voice. But the door was unbreakable, just for the reason it was to the hospital wing. 

"Malfoy, what are you doing in here?!" Madam Pomfrey had come bustling along at the racket, a glower upon her short, wide face. Draco sighed.

"I was attacked." Madam Pomfrey opened the door to nothing; Ron had gone. She gave Draco a disconcerted look before she shook her head and went back to the second door out of four of them and entered, leaving it ajar. Draco took that as an invitation and followed her. 

"Be quiet," was all Madam Pomfrey had to say. Draco stood at the foot of Hermione's bed, where Madam Pomfrey had a concoction of something all over Hermione's arms and legs. She lay with only a sleeveless blue gown that fell to her thighs on; the gray, gel-like substance looked to be burning her skin, steam rising from it. But Hermione looked trouble, herself, she did. Her face was pale, her lips colorless, and her eyelids were littered with tiny blue and purple veins. She looked like she had cancer. Ish, Draco shuddered.

"Now, don't touch her, or you'll be in detention for a month with Snape!" Pomfrey threatened as her and her thin little self walked right out of the room. Draco rose a brow in sarcastic fright before he moved to Hermione's side.

"Hermione?" Her name was lulled softly, the gray sky outside making it seemed like a state of dream. "Hermione?" Again, Draco said her name, gently. "Hermione!" The third time was still soft, but louder, and Hermione's eyes fluttered open. 

"Umh...where am I?" Hermione's eyes were cloudy, unfocussed; the natural high tint of cinnamon-yellow was gone. 

"The Infirmary. You were poisoned." Draco stated, as if it was nothing. Hermione stared up at him, her face giving away her fatigued state. "Go back to sleep," Draco murmured, feeling bad for waking her.

"Who did this to me?"

"Pansy. I'm sorry — I didn't put her up to it, I swear." Draco's voice was so...quiet, tonight, Hermione thought. Still, though, she could sense the harsh tones that underlined. She wondered if that was just in his voice. She'd find out someday, wouldn't she? Maybe...Well, it'd have to be another day, other than this one. She fell asleep, without being told again.

***

Ron's blue eyes were following Draco all night at dinner, anger seeming right into Draco's very skin. Harry sighed and glared at Ron. "Will you just leave him alone! Jesus, I just want to eat my dinner without watching you hate someone!" Harry cursed at Ron. Ron's blue eyes lowered to his plate and Lavender stared at her own, a few seats away. Aww, poor Lavender, Harry thought. She deserves every little thing that she gets!

But everyone's conversation, as well as their thoughts, were directed to the Great Hall doors. Hermione stood there, in long, white robes. Harry recognized them immediately as Hospital robes. Ron got up and jogged over to her, shadowing her form behind his large frame. his head had been ducked, his red bangs falling to shadow his eyes.

"What do you want?" Hermione's voice was shrill, her eyes narrowed at him. She looked terrible, her hair was unbound and falling down her back, rich curls making her look like a wild woman. In her eyes was a chocolate brown Ron had never seen before and her lips were colorless, taut. She was upset with him! Why?

"I just...Are you all right, Hermione? Because I mean, I know —"

"No, you don't know! Ron, he's my boyfriend, Lavender's your girlfriend! I thought I was just a boring bitch! Why do you keep wondering if I'm all right? Cheating on me isn't exactly a way to make us friends again!" Hermione's voice was quieter this time, but the feeling was still there. And yet, Ron saw it in her eyes, in her skin, in her body language. She still loved him. Maybe...Maybe he had a chance!

"Hermione, why're you with Malfoy? What's he got for you? Money?" Hermione looked outraged at the comment and the back of her hand landed on Ron's left cheek. 

"Don't you _ever_ insult my boyfriend like that! You had your chance, Ron Weasley!" Hermione walked right past him, bare feet slapping on the floor, white robes billowing behind her like Snape's. She went right on over to the Slytherin table, showing no fear at the rude stares she got. "Draco, can I talk to you?" Her voice was so much softer, but it did lack something: love for him. Or even lust, Ron though. He turned and walked out of the Great Hall, leaving Hermione to her fake boyfriend.

"Sure, c'mon." Draco left his untouched food and took Hermione's hand as he led her out into the Entrance Hall. "What is it?" Draco asked, his voice wobbling between awkwardly worried and rudely harsh. Hermione felt herself falter, her surge of gallantry having subsided. 

"He suspects. And I...I see right through his words. He wants me back but...I'm not so sure he's exactly what I'm looking for anymore." Draco's eyebrows rose and Hermione felt the sting of his silver gaze tearing her skin apart.

"No. You're going to get him back! I will not have suffered all this for nothing..." Draco's voice went from irritated, to edgy, to softer. And he snuck a gaze at Hermione, past his long bangs. She was staring at her hands, her eyes void, her lips colorless and quivering. "Look...I'm sorry, Hermione, I—"

"I understand...Just pretend I never happened! Just like Ron! And you can go back to being Mr. Lady's Man!" Halfway through her sentence, her voice had gone from trembling to angry and then her fiery yellow eyes had turned on him in a raging hatred. "Why don't you go fuck Lavender Brown or Pansy! They're appreciate it, I'm sure! I'm just wasting your time!" Hermione turned and ran down the hallway, and up the stairs, those white robes making her appear as the angel in his life running away from him. And he felt cold. He'd had a friend; a real friend that didn't care that he had money or that he was getting her in trouble with other girls. A friend that could

have been there when he needed her. And she was running away!

"Hermione, I didn't mean it like that!" Draco ran after her, his legs longer, he was close to her in seconds' time. He grabbed her arm and she pulled away with everything she had, breaking away from him. More of a surprise to herself than to him, she kept running. But Draco grabbed at the ends of her robes and drug her back to him, pressing her face against his chest. "I only meant that I want you to be happy. And I know Ron will make you happy." Hermione turned her angry face up at him.

"Why do you, of all people, want me happy?!" Hermione asked, her eyes wide and innocent in a game of the Devil's work.

"Because. I just...I was hoping you'd understand. I don't know. I suppose I kinda get along with you. And we're kinda..." Hermione's expression had softened and her eyes had began to lighten from their dark brown void.

"...friends?" Draco just stared at her. She was still close to him, her hands on his shoulders, his arms resting around her waist. Hermione's eyes fell down to watch the buttons on his shirt, his robes having not been held together. But as she turned her head up, her lips were caught against his and her eyes fell shut, blindly. 

The hands at Hermione's waist traveled up her back, over her shoulders and back down, again. Hermione's hands had traveled up his neck and were entangled in his hair, her lips never leaving his. And when Hermione's thumbs traveled over his cheekbones, he pulled away from her. 

"This is wrong – we shouldn't be doing this —" His hands were pulled away from her back as if she were on fire. But her hands stayed in place until he pulled them away and continued talking. "I mean...I don't feel comfortable yet." Draco's eyes were to the side, as if looking to see if someone was behind him. Hermione licked her lips, his hesitation, for the first time, making her feel uncomfortable. 

"Draco, no one's watching us..." Hermione's voice was soft and she wondered why he'd so suddenly stopped. Her eyes came up to rest on his again, the cinnamon sparkling with hopeless faith. She leaned against him, let him cradle her, and wondered why she was letting them get so close. This was just for show, right? _Right?_ Oh, she didn't know anymore. But when she turned her head away from his chest and up into the light, again, all she saw was his silver eyes, silver eyes...void silver eyes...

"You're cruel..." Hermione remembered the lyrics from one of her favorite old songs..._You're cruel device...your blood like ice...One look...could kill...my pain....your thrill. I wanna love you but I better not touch, don't touch. I wanna hold you but my senses tell me to stop, I wanna kiss you but I want it too much, too much. I wanna taste you but your lips are venomous poison. You're poison, running through my veins. You're poison. I don't wanna break these chains. Poison. _Was that what he was? And the song played in her mind. And she kissed him, again, and again...And there wasn't another protest... _Your mouth, so hot. Your web, I'm caught. Your skin, so wet. Black lace on sweat ...I hear you callin' and its needles and pins, I wanna hurt you just to hear you screamin' my name, dont wanna touch you but you're under my skin, I wanna kiss you but your lips are venomous poison...Running through my veins...Poison., I don't wanna break these chains. Poison... _

One look, one look, could kill, could kill...My pain, your thrill...

Against a wall, she couldn't breathe. And his hands against her face, her shoulders, her stomach...Her hands were in his hair, on his cheekbones. And their lips didn't leave. The white robes fell to the ground, mixing with the black. The fire, the ice, the good, the bad...

__

I don't wanna break these chains...Poison...Runnin' deep inside my veins...Burnin' deep inside my veins. I don't wanna break these chains...Poison...I don't wanna...Poison...

***

Hermione Granger woke up in her bed, the sun shining down on her face. Her curtains were open. She rubbed her eyes and sat up. She moved to get out of her bed and whimpered. And last night came back to her in waves. And she even remembered the song stuck in her head. And the sweet things he'd said. And she felt her stomach drop out. "Oh, my God." 

Despite the pain she felt at running, Hermione tripped into Ginny's dorm, nearly throwing her on the floor to get her up.

"Ugh, what?!" Ginny asked irritated.

"I...I...I...I–" Ginny stared up at Hermione's panic stricken face and stood up.

"What? What is it, Hermione?" She couldn't stop shaking and her nightgown consisted of the white robes, nothing else. Ginny sat her down in the bathroom and closed the door. "Hermione, what's wrong?" She was wide awake, now, watching Hermione try to breathe. "Calm down, it's okay. It's okay! What? What is it?"

"I...I.." _I wanna kiss you, but I want it too much...too much._ Hermione shook more violently, whimpering. "I slept with him..." Ginny jumped away from Hermione as if she had suddenly said she had the plague. 

"Oh my G– Hermione!" Ginny was back at her side, though, her arms around her. "Are you pregnant?" Hermione glared at Ginny.

"God, no!" Hermione said easily, the words sliding from her mouth with ease. For some reason, she just knew she wasn't. It was something in her mind. 

"Well, c'mon. You better get dressed. No one can suspect this, all right? I won't tell." Ginny's blue eyes reminded Hermione of Ron...and then Draco. Draco's had turned blue...

"You're a good friend, Ginny. Thank you." Hermione's panic had subsided and now it was false calm, surreal calmness. Hermione left her friend's dorm with another outfit and was off for a shower, like nothing had ever happened. 

***

"Hermione?" Harry's voice broke through the tones underlying her thoughts. _I hear you callin', and it's needles and pins...Under my skin...Venomous poison..._

"Oh, yeah?" Hermione's voice was void and her eyes were torn, her skin ashy. _Runnin' through my veins..._She closed her eyes and shook her head, the song only played louder.

"Are you all right?" _I wanna taste you..._Hermione stared at him and watched as he stood and pulled out of her chair and nearly dragged her out of the Great Hall, nearly oblivious, too.

"Ow, Harry–"

"What did you _do?!_" Harry's voice was accusing as he held Hermione by her shoulders, his green eyes staring into hers. _Your blood...like ice..._Hermione's lips trembled.

"God, make it stop!" Hermione's hands went over her ears and shook her head, madly, her hair falling out of it's trap. "Stop it! Stop it!" Harry caught at her arm, all the while she kept writhing. _And pins...I wanna hurt you just to hear you screamin' my name..._"Stop!"

"Hermione! Calm down!" Harry pulled her against him to make her stop moving and she just cried, her makeup smearing to no end, black lines trailing over her pale cheeks. _...Venomous poison...you're poison..._

"Oh, Harry!" Hermione felt as if she were dying, everything in her mind screaming at her, all the while, the lyrics of that song played over and over in her mind. She couldn't breathe– she couldn't see– all she could hear was that song– and then it all just stopped. And Hermione went down to the ground.

***

__

"...Poison..." 

"Stop it!" Hermione lunged out at the person above her, her eyes wild with fright. Madam Pomfrey, Ron, Harry, and Draco all scattered way from her. 

"Miss Granger, whatever is the matter?" Madam Pomfrey asked, slowly moving closer to her. Hermione felt her cheeks redden. 

"Sorry. I just...had a bad dream." Hermione let her eyes fall on Harry, then, and she knew that he knew. She'd told him about that song. She remembered...But her eyes turned to Ron, who looked sickly and pale as she did. He didn't understand, of course he didn't! And she hesitated before moving her eyes to Draco. He stared at her with the apologetic expression of someone who killed someone, only, there was something still harsh and arrogant about his features. Was he playing with her? Hermione's brows rose and her eyes bore into his, past the silver gray, to the blue..._" You're poison runnin' through my veins..."_

"I was wondering if maybe some of the Root of Jakoyt poison might still be in her blood..." Hermione's lips formed the words as she stared at him. _I hear you callin' and your needles and pins...I wanna hurt you just to hear you callin' my name..._Hermione's eyes never moved, staring into Draco's and he stared right on back, the look in his eyes...

  
"Hermione?" _I wanna kiss you...but I want it too much..._"Hermione?" _Runnin' deep inside my veins. Burnin' deep inside my veins..._"Hermione!" 

"What?" She looked at Ron, the song fading out of her mind. He made the song go away. She felt like she could breathe again. 

"Are you okay?" The question wasn't in the matter of asking her if she was all right at the moment, but if she was and would be all right. 

"I'll be fine, Ron, thanks. Isn't Lavender going to be worried?" Ron stared at her for a second, the look on his face tempting her to say more. 

"I don't think Lavender cares right about now." Ron left it at that, stepping back so that Harry could step forward.

"Hermione, I know what happened." 

"So does Ginny," Hermione mused with a slight smile. Ron did a double take.

"Wait, Ginny knows and I don't?" Hermione looked up at him. So suddenly, she seemed to be fine.

"Ginny is my only friend, right about now. Of course she knows." Draco looked away from her when she said that, his eyes moved to the sky outside. It was dark out, the stars were bright. Hogsmeade was this Saturday...It was Friday. Hermione wondered if they'd even allow her to leave this very room. 

"Hermione, I understand why you're upset. I'm really sorry it had to happen that way." Harry had sat down on her bed, and his green eyes looked into hers. Hermione sighed. She was happy to have him as a friend. She hugged him, sighing. 

"I'm sorry, too," Hermione said, her voice much quieter and shakier. "But, if you don't mind, I'd like to have a word with Malfoy, alone." Ron felt the sting that was at Malfoy, not being called by his first name. Ron, Harry, and Madam Pomfrey left the room, leaving Hermione alone with Draco.

"What?" _Don't wanna touch you but you're under my skin..._Hermione closed her eyes. 

"What did you do to me?" Her voice was quiet, her eyes never opening, afraid to look at him. 

"I tried to stop...You're the one that wanted to keep going..." Draco's voice was accusing, but still soft, as if she were a child done wrong. She shook her head and opened her eyes. She saw the flecks of blue in his eyes. She would break him, yet!

"Draco Malfoy, I don't understand! We aren't even friends! How could this happen?"

"We were friends! Remember?" Draco's voice took on a high note, his eyes burning her skin. _One look could kill..._ Hermione remember, though, exactly his words:

__

"I suppose I kinda get along with you. And we're kinda..." "...friends?" 

She closed her eyes. 

"Draco...We don't love eachother." A tear rolled down her face. "I wanted to wait...I wanted to be in love....This wasn't supposed to...to..." Hermione had to stop. She shook her head, trying to get the notes out of her head..._I wanna kiss you..._

"It was supposed to happen." Draco turned, about to leave...to walk away and leave her here with herself, with this song—

"Wait!" Hermione scrambled after him, throwing her arms around him, her lips meeting his, a relief coming over her. Draco didn't protest, but Hermione pulled away. "Just...Just...Go!"

***

[ I know what you're thinking. That was MAJORLY corny. Sorry. I've got this song on a CD called 'Monsters of Rock' and I heard it for the first time and I fell in love with it! Anyone wants the entire lyrics? They're below! oh, and I KNOW that everyone was out of character, I'm sorry. I was thinking about re-writing this chapter. What do you think? This one might be a little too dark. But I like the underlying plot you kinda see, there. LoL, here's the lyrics! ]

__

Poison

Alice Cooper

Your cruel device

Your blood like ice

One look could kill

My pain, your thrill

I want to love you, but I better not touch (Don't touch)

I want to hold you but my senses tell me to stop

I want to kiss you but I want it too much (Too much)

I want to taste you but your lips are venomous poison

You're poison runnin' through my veins

You're poison, I don't want to break these chains

Your mouth, so hot

Your web, I'm caught

Your skin, so wet

Black lace on sweat

I hear you calling and it's needles and pins (And pins)

I want to hurt you just to hear you screaming my name

Don't want to touch you but you're under my skin (Deep in)

I want to kiss you but your lips are venomous poison

You're poison runnin' through my veins

You're poison, I don't want to break these chains

Poison

One look could kill

My pain, your thrill

I want to love you, but I better not touch (Don't touch)

I want to hold you but my senses tell me to stop

I want to kiss you but I want it too much (Too much)

I want to taste you but your lips are venomous poison

You're poison runnin' through my veins

You're poison, I don't want to break these chains

Poison

I want to love you, but I better not touch (Don't touch)

I want to hold you but my senses tell me to stop

I want to kiss you but I want it too much (Too much)

I want to taste you but your lips are venomous poison, yeah

I don't want to break these chains Poison, oh no

Runnin' deep inside my veins, Burnin' deep inside my veins

It's poison I don't want to break these chains 


	4. Underlying Secrets

P_o_i_son_

Chapter Four: Underlying Secrets

__

"Everything's so blurry, everyone's so fake."

Puddle of Mudd / Blurry

"Get up, _c'mon_! You're going to be late!" Ginny yanked Hermione Granger out of bed by her arm, having the rest of her slide down to the floor. Hermione looked a mess, too! 

"Uuh, what?!"

"It's Saturday, girl! Hogsmeade! You and Draco were going to go to make a nice impression weren't you? Oh, and Monday is the night you go into London to get your 'muggle gowns' for that thingy..."

"The Celestial Festival. Uh, thanks for waking me up!" Hermione said sarcastically as she rubbed her eyes. Only Parvati was still asleep, being the monster for rest that she was, she needed it. 

"C'mon, I got this great outfit for you to go to Hogsmeade in! I bet Draco will like it!" _I wanna kiss you..._ Hermione shivered. 

"Great," Hermione stated as she went off for a quick shower. Lately, her and Draco had been distant, but his acting skills for the crowds had never faultered and no one, besides Ron, Harry, and Ginny suspected a thing. 

Hermione returned to find her outfit wating, Ginny doing her own make-up at her vanity. Hermione had to admit the clothing choice was nice, a bit on the skanky side, but none-the-less showy. Just like Ron liked it. Hermione, fixing her towel higher on her chest, reached for it, lifting the dress up before her.

"You like it?" Ginny commented, looking up from her make-up. 

"Did it have to be lavender?" Hermione said with a crinkle of her nose. Ginny smiled.

"It's not! It's light purple!" Hermione laughed and brought it back into the bathroom with her, to change into it. She nearly choked when she looked in the mirror.

"Gin-_ny!_" Hermione reprimanded. 

"What?! Come out, I want to see!" Hermione looked horrified.

"You're trying to make me look like a two dollar prostitute, aren't you?" 

"Draco will like it!" _I don't wanna touch you but you're under my skin..._Hermione shuddered.

"Shut up about Draco, will you?" Ginny rose her brows as she glanced at her blind lipgloss job in the vanity mirror.

"Fighting?"

"No, we're just..."

"Just?"

"...Awkward." 

"Oh, I see. Come out!" Ginny changed the subject with ease and when Hermione didn't answer, Ginny opened the door with her wand. 

"Ginny!" Hermione scolded. The dress was thin-strapped, a low, scoop neck revealing more than Hermione had ever done so (well, except on certain occasions!). It fit snugly and flared at her waist, resting in folds on her upper thighs; strappy shoes of the same color fit her feet perfectly. Ginny whisked her off for make-up and hair routine and then, she'd be finished! Well, they still had two hours, but Ginny was always worried about time like that.

"Hold still!" Ginny snapped as she was putting black eyeliner under Hermione's eyes. Finishing with that, she stepped back to look at what was done, so far. Powder that only made the pale of Hermione's skin even more noticeable was dressed with a pink blush. Her chocolate curls had been taken back into a headband, her bangs only being aloud in her face. "Do you suppose I could French your nails, Hermione?" Ginny asked as she set upon the task of the eye shadow. 

"French my nails? What?"

"Give you a French manicure, babe! Magic works wonders," Ginny said as a brush of pale pink was applied all the way up to Hermione's brows. Another, darker color was over that, only going to just below her brow bone. Another, even darker one, more fuscia, over that, stopping at the end of her lids. And a dark purple liner just above her lashes. Ginny smeared all of the colors before she put more of the pale pink on Hermione's brow.

"Um, I suppose?"

"Oh, because I saw this one lady and her nails were French manicured and she had this lavender polish above the white tips and it looked really gorgeous. You can't break them, though, okay?" Ginny said all of this as she was putting Hermione's make-up on. Setting the shadow with powder, then, Ginny moved on to Hermione's lips. "Don't talk." A light, extremely pale set of pinks was applied to Hermione's lips in lipstick before Ginny put the purple lipgloss over it.

"All right, what was the point of that?"

"When the purple lip gloss fades off, the pink will have mixed with it and it'll look just the same." Hermione felt stupid. She always hated these make-up sessions with Ginny. She was getting better, but Ginny was still an expert. "Can I do your nails, now?!" Ginny asked, an excited tone lying in her voice. Hermione sighed.

"Sure..."

***

Hermione and Draco rode to Hogsmeade in silence, and all the while, Hermione couldn't get the song out of her head. _You're poison...Poison, running through my veins._ She hated it, now. It made of think of what she'd done. If her parents found out, they'd surely kill her alive. Hermione looked down at her nails. Ginny had been so excited. The nails had come out fine...but Ginny had broken two of her own filing Hermione's. Hermione actually thought they looked pretty. They were lavender above the tips, a shimmer in the polish. Hermione looked at Draco and watched him stare out of the window. He wouldn't even sit next to her. 

"Aren't they pretty?" Hermione asked shyly, holding out her hand, revealing her nails. Draco glanced at them before he looked back out of the window.

"Pretty." Hermione felt her heart crack. She had looked herself over in the mirror thirty times, hoping to impress him. And all he could say about her nails was, 'pretty'? Hermione's lip trembled. She wished she could get out of the carriage carrying her to Hogsmeade and go back to her dorm and cry. She held her tears down, though. _Your cruel, device. Your blood, like ice. One look could kill. My pain, your thrill. _It was true. His blood was cold and for him to look at her for real, it'd kill him. And he was just along for the ride. He probably laughed at her on the inside. 

–—– 

"Hermione, you look really pretty!" Sarah Marshalls, a fifth year girl commented as she passed Hermione and Draco on the street. Hermione smiled at the girl that reminded her of herself. 

"Why, thank you, Sarah! You look pretty, too!" Sarah blushed, her curly blonde hair falling down her back, her black shirt and black skirt a nice contrast. 

"Thank you!"

"You're welcome," Hermione called after her as they parted. As she turned her eyes back to her path, she spotted a sign. It was a cloudy, overcast day, and it reminded Hermione of snow. It was November, but it had been unusually warm at the beginning of the month. It had cooled down a lot, now. _Ice skating_ the sign read. _Skate rental; 2 knuts._ Hermione grinned, tugging on Draco's arm, her long, white coat bright against the black of his clothing.

"Let's ice skate!" Draco rose a brow as she tugged him closer to the rink. She stopped at the fence that separated the cold ground and the ice that had been put there just for this purpose. It was cold enough to snow, Hermione wondered why it didn't. "Oh, c'mon! It'll be fun!" Hermione said as she turned a smile on Draco. It faded. Her eyes fell to the ground and she felt like it was pointless – like Ron was. "I'm going to the Three Broomsticks." Hermione turned around and, her long coat trailing her like those hospital robes, she walked away. And Draco was reminded of that night...

"Wait!" Hermione kept walking, her steps angry, her heels clicking. "Hermione, c'mon!" Draco jogged up next to her, the wind shoving his bangs into his eyes. "Listen to me!"

"Why? You don't listen to me!" Hermione said with all honesty.

"I do listen to you! I just don't acknowledge it! Now, if you'd like to ice skate, c'mon, let's go." Hermione glared at him, the malice-filled chocolate color coming back to her eyes. 

"No." The words sent the lyrics through her head, sent the blue shining in his eyes. He was angered that she'd resist him so; she was angered that he didn't care. 

"Yes!"

"No!" 

"Yes, c'mere!" 

"No! I will not!"

"Yes, you will!" And Draco pulled her close to him, his lips falling on hers, despite her fighting him. He was stronger and she was in a short skirt and heels. She could not exactly pull away, now, could she? She was just a little bit lost. _I wanna love you but I better not touch, don't touch..._

"Now, let's go ice skating," Draco's voice was plain and bland as he pulled her along to ice skate.

***

Ron's eyes watched her the entire time, the way that short skirt swished and the way she pulled Malfoy along to look at the ice skaters. He wrinkled his nose in disgust. What did she see in him?

"Oh, Ron! Isn't that one sweet?" Lavender's voice brought him over to a window filled with kittens. Lavender was pointing at an all white one with lavender eyes. "Oh, look at the eyes!" A hand came to her heart, thin fingers spread across nearly bare skin. "Aww!" Ron sighed.

"Now I know what to get you for Christmas, darling!" Ron tugged on Lavender's black coat that concealed a low-cut, knee-length dress of the same black color. Black boots made clicking noises as she walked along with him. "Hey, look, ice skating!" Ron said enthusiastically, eying Lavender. She smiled.

"Aww, honey that's so sweet!" Lavender said and they went over to rent their skates.

Hermione and Draco were already on the rink, skating slowly, hand in hand. Ron remembered something Hermione'd told him a year or so ago; she'd always dreamed of being a professional figure-skater. And he'd said, "How do you become professional at that?" And she'd laughed. "You go to the Olympics and you compete for metals. It's a muggle thing!"

Ron stood up and had to pull Lavender up and balance her; she nearly fell. They made their way out onto the rink just as it began to snow; soft, fluffy snowflakes fluttered down against them. 

"Oh, Draco! It's snowing!" Hermione breathed, smiling up at the falling flakes. She turned and skated backwards, to face him. He smiled at her. He was better at this than Hermione had expected. But what wasn't Draco Malfoy good at? Draco nodded to her, but she turned and skated off, quicker than she looked able to in that skirt. Draco skated slowly, watching her. She swung around on one foot, nothing special, but she was obviously experienced. 

On the other hand, Lavender was moving too slow for even Ron. He ended up grabbing her hand and just pulling her along behind him. But, after about a half an hour, she complained of being tired and cold and left Ron at the rink to go into Makenna's, where Parvati and Sherrice had just gone. Ron watched Hermione, now. She was good, he had to admit. But, of course, she was always good.

And she came towards him, without realizing she was approaching him from behind, she knocked right into him, her skin burning at the cold ice. Ron quickly sat up and tried to get up. Hermione got up quicker, brushing ice off of her legs and dress. No permanent damage, it seemed, although she was cold. Draco was behind her before Ron could even ask her if she was all right, let alone get off on his feet! Hermione stopped, though, as Draco began to pull her away.

"R– Are you all right?" Hermione asked, concern lining the cinnamon in her eyes. The sun had set, now, and the clouds had gone. Stars were visible in a sapphire blue sky. 

"I'm...fine, thanks," Ron answered, as if she were a complete stranger. Hermione felt forlorn to Ron as she skated away, Draco's arm around her shoulder. They were growing apart...This would have to happen soon; at the Celestial Festival, Hermione decided. 

"Hey, you're shivering. C'mon, lets go get a butterbeer." Draco's voice cut through the cold night air with an ice all his own as he lead her over to return their skates and recieve their shoes. 

***

Harry sat with Ginny, who happened to be blushing when Hermione and Draco stepped through the door. Hermione smiled at the two and Harry motioned for her to come over. Hermione pulled Draco over to the table, weaving through the smoky air and other people. 

"Hey, aren't you cold?" Harry asked as she got to their table. Ginny smiled up at her, without saying anything.

"Just a little. But I'm still pretty warm," Hermione told all truth as she leaned back against Draco. Of course, Harry and Ginny figured she was doing it for the fun, or for the crowd. There were a few Ravenclaws laying around the tavern. 

"Won't you sit with us?" Ginny asked politely, her eyes more on Draco than Hermione, as if searching him. Hermione shook her head.

"Oh, no, sorry. This is a private party," Hermione chuckled afterward.

"Well, we'll see you later, then, Hermione?"

"Sure." They bid their friends a good eve and made their way to their own table. Hermione sat down and peeled her coat off, it seemed to have soaked up the cold air. Draco removed his as well, although nothing was really noticable. He wore a white shirt underneath with a hunter green vest over it and black slacks. Hermione stared at the table as Rosmerta appeared and Draco ordered their drinks.

"So, who did those nails?" Draco asked, small talking her. Hermione turned her head up to him, watching the fake smile on his face again. She wanted to smack it away. Although they seemed to have grown closer, he still knew how to make her feel unwanted. 

"Ginny," Hermione stated blankly as her butterbeer was set down in front of her. She brought it to her lips, letting the warm fluid slide down her throat. Draco left his untouched.

"Hermione, we have to talk." The words startled Hermione and she looked at him with confusion written in her eyes, underlying the fake tone of voice she used.

"What?" 

"After this," Draco prompted her with his butterbeer, tipping it back to down nearly the entire thing. Hermione sighed. Jesus, he couldn't back out on her now! No, things were going fine, weren't they? Hermione wanted to believe so. I mean, she'd only slept with the guy and kissed him and liked it! Ouch.

"Aw'right." Hermione downed her butterbeetr quickly, anxious as to what he had to say. They left after paying, moving quickly down the snowy road to a quiet little restuarant that no one from their school would be in. After ordering their dinner, Hermione beckoned for him to speak of what he wished.

"You've got him wrapped around your finger, Hermione. Just ask him if he might still like you and when he says yes, ask him back out. I'm sure he's learned his lesson. You don't need me around anymore. I'm a dead pawn in this game, now." Hermione felt his words were stinging him to speak. _I wanna taste you but your lips are venomous poison..._

"Are...Are you saying you think I should stop this, right here, right now?" Draco nodded, curtly. He would be done with this girl soon enough and then things could go back to normal. He could date Pansy...yay. Not that he had a thing for Hermione, the girl was nothing that he was looking for. She didn't listen to him, she was fiery, opinionated, and found being attracted to someone for the way they looked acting shallow. What could anyone see in that? 

"Yes, I am."

"But...I had it planned out until the Celestial Festival –"

"And ruin my Festival? Maybe I'd like to go with someone I actually have feelings for?" Hermione felt the prick in his voice and glared at him.

"Like who? Pansy!" Hermione bit. Draco glared right on back.

"Well, why would I love you? You're nothing but morals and problems!" Hermione narrowed her eyes.

"You're superficial, egotistical, and too damn conceited for your own damned good!" The few people that were in the restuarant looked over at Hermione as she stood up. " And I would never love someone who only felt for themselves and used me for sex!" 

"Then I don't know why you're going after Ron!" Draco called as she was about to walk through the doors. She whirled on him and narrowed her eyes to slits of angry chocolate.

"Dont you _ever_ insult him like that!" Hermione said, bitter lacing every tone and pitch of her voice.

"What'cha gonna do about it, Hermione? Hit me?" Hermione felt the anger in her heart at him...at herself. She just wanted things to go back to normal. _Your cruel device...your blood, like ice...one look could kill; my pain, your thrill..._

"Get out of my life!" Hermione turned and ran out of the restuarant, but Draco ran after her, leaving the restaurant ruffled, and their dinner undelivered.

"Wait!"

"Get away from me!"

"Hermione!"

"Leave me alone!" She never stopped running, not until he swept her right off of her heeled feet and against his lips. _I wanna love you but I better touch, don't touch, I wanna hold you but my senses tell me to stop, I wanna kiss you but I wanna too much, I wanna taste you but your lips are venomous poison, poison running through my viens. Poison...I don't wanna break these chains._ _Poison..._

***

Hermione wrapped herself up in her blankets, blocking out the light of the afternoon. She hadn't left bed all day long. Her hair was ruffled, what was left of her make-up, smeared, and her dressing consisted of a long, pale blue night gown. 

"Hermione, come out of there!" Ginny rapped on the door. "Hermione!" Hermione sighed and whimpered.

"No! Go away!"

"What's wrong, hun? Did you get into a fight with Draco?" _Poison..._Hermione shivered.

"Don't say that _name!_"

"I guess so..." Ginny walked away, Hermione heard her footsteps. She relaxed, her mascara was in lines down her face from crying. She didn't want to be so torn like this! She slept with a guy who probably could care less if she was ran over by a semi-truck and she was 'in love' with a guy who'd cheated on her with some bitch!

A rap on her window caused her to glance beyond her curtains, expecting to see Draco, hoping maybe to smash his fingers in her window. But it was Ron, his red hair blowing back in the wind and snow. She opened the window, the cold air surging in and chilling her skin...just like _his_ breath.

"What is it, Ron?"

"I was wondering...can I come in?" Ron's voice was swept away in the wind and his teeth were chattering; Hermione stepped aside so he might clamber into her dorm. She closed the window and turned to him. He was shivering. She reached out and rubbed her hands on his face, as if they were old friends. His skin was cold and she could feel the slight spasm at her touch. 

"Hermione, what is wrong? I know you've been up here all day and I know you and Malfoy argued at Hogsmeade. Did he hurt you?" Hermione was taken aback. Over the time she'd been with Draco, she had gotten used to him and now; she felt that, physically, he'd never really, purposely, hurt her. She shook her head.

"No...we're just having some problems, that's all. I'm fine." Hermione looked up at him, into his eyes. Draco had been right, he was wrapped about her finger. But something was wrong...She couldn't decipher it, but something had changed beyond the social attitudes. She sighed. 

"Well, I'm really sorry. I want to work on our relationship...as friends. Is that all right with you?" Hermione nodded. She felt better, much better, now. She sent him through her door into the Common Room, and was standing in her doorway, watching Ron go down the stairs when there was another rap on her window. This time, it was Draco. She glared at him and opened the window.

"What do you want?!" Hermione snapped, trying to act as if he wasn't the reason for the lines of mascara down her cheeks. There was something about the way the wind jostled his hair that made him so much more...appealing than Ron. Hermione cursed that thought away.

"I want to talk to you," Draco stated, as if it were written on his forehead.

"About what?"

"About us."

"What's there to say?!"

"Obviously, there's a lot."

"Like what?"

"Let me in an I'll tell you!"

"So you can seduce me again, I don't think so!"

"Hermione, that was an _accident!_ I'm sorry! Just get over it!" Hermione gasped at him, taken aback that he would say something like that to her.

"You bastard!" Hermione shut the window and drew the curtains, turning her lights on and shutting the door, locking it. Draco opened the window with his wand and stepped through, despite Hermione's glowering face staring at him. "Get out!" 

"No."

"Yes."

"Make me!" Draco said, teasing her with the first year comment, a smirk playing his lips.

"No. You're going to trick me into kissing you and then you'll leave me with a sweet comment or a pregnancy kit or something. I don't think so!" Draco laughed.

"I don't trick you into kissing me, Hermione, you do it all by yourself." It was weird to really hear him call her 'Hermione', and, for the first time, she noticed it.

"Then why do I always do it against my will?"

"Because you wanna love me..." Draco whispered the words...having moved close enough to brush his lips across her ear as he said them. The words from the song..._I wanna love you but I better not touch..._

"No, I don't..."

"Yes, Hermione, you do. You wouldn't have slept with me if you didn't. You're a smart girl, think about it. Until tomorrow, when we go to London. Goodnight, love." And he left her with a sweet comment and a gentle kiss to the lips. Hermione sighed, irritated. 

"He always breaks me..."

***

Hermione's heels clicked as she came running down the stairs, five minutes after five. Her hair seemed to cling to her face; it had been curled under, a barrette holding some of it back. Her clothing was simple; a claf-lengthed black skirt, a black blazer over that, and a white blouse beneath. She looked like a lawyer, or so she thought, anyway. 

Hermione dashed through the doors and watched as a few of the carriages, carrying seventh and sixth years (after much persuasion from Ginny's friends, he'd allowed the sixth years), rode away. There was one left, it had just started moving. She dashed for it, trying not to crush the heels of her shoes as she ran. She grabbed the handle on the door, stepping up onto the single step, holding on for dear life. She hoped there was someone she knew in there! She banged on the door with her left hand, grasping the handle with her right.

"Let me in! Open up!" Hermione screeched, the wind blinding her. The door came open with a furious motion, sending her feet flying from the step. A long, petrified scream filled the air as she swung around on the door, coming to hit the side of the carriage. She feared she'd fall; that the handle would break. But, lucky for her, a certain red-headed someone pulled the door back to it's natural position and scooped Hermione inside. She panted, being upset at the fact that she'd nearly died. She had to glare at herself and at the people around; she'd chosen the one carruage with Lavender, Parvati, Ron, and Cho inside. She had to squish in the corner, next to Ron, (more like in his lap) while Lavender gave her death glares.

"What're you doing, hanging on our carriage?" Lavender asked, piercingly, her cerulean eyes cold as ice. Hermione grudgingly glared at those eyes; she wished she was that pretty. 

"Oh, believe me, I would've chosen any carriage but this one; except this was the only one left. And besides, I'm sure Draco would've been worried if I hadn't shown in London." Hermione nearly smiled, nearly, at the way Ron's nose turned up. That wasn't good for their relationship, now was it?

"I thought you and that git were fighting?"

"Well, when you love someone, fights don't keep you apart for long," Hermione gave Ron a saccharine smile, tossing her hair, so that it might brush his nose. It must have, he turned his head, closing his eyes. 

The rest of the ride to the train station was extremely boring for Hermione, considering Lavender, Parvati, and Cho were talking perpetually. Hermione stared out of the window, yellow-brown eyes watching like a hawk's for any sign of them getting near to the station. Finally arriving, she was the first one out of the door.

"Oh, hey Hermione!" Ginny grinned as she stepped down from a carriage not too far away. Harry, Seamus, and Dean followed her. Hermione glanced Ginny over. Gosh, for a pureblooded family, the girl was good with style — muggle or not. A cute flared skirt wound around her lower thighs and a cute little t-shirt with the wording 'Adore Me? Ha, in Your Dreams' was how she dressed. Hermione rolled her eyes. Ginny's hair was wound into a tight bun, bobby pins resting throughout to add twists and such. 

"Hi, Ginny! Boy, am I glad to see you!"

"And I'm glad to see you. Where were you?" A frosty tongue interrupted Hermione and she whirled to see her 'boyfriend' behind her. Black slacks and a white dress shirt with a tie. Oh, how nice; they both had the lawyer thing going. He just needed a blazer. Hermione found herself speechless at his sudden appearance.

"Why...I was late. I'm sorry, Draco, really — I am –"

"No need to apologize. After all, you're human." Hermione's eyes narrowed, his charcoal eyes stinging with a certain anger that frightened her. She must've done something wrong. Ginny rose her eyebrows. "C'mon." Draco took her arm as they boarded the train that would use magic to get to London in half of an hour. Hermione felt the fast handhold on her arm tighten even more so as she was lead to an empty compartment. She licked her lips, nervously. God, what'd she done?

Draco closed the compartment door, locking it. It was, notwithstanding, the last compartment. He turned on her, his oculars narrowed with a threat. Hermione scooted as far into the corner of her seat as she could without being too obvious. 

"Why were you in that carriage?" Hermione's eyes widened in bewilderment at the question. She just stared at him, not bothering to answer. "Well?"

"I told you! I was late, I had to climb _onto_ that carriage as it was leaving! I – I don't understand why you're getting so conservative about it – I mean –"

"You mean what?! Granger, you're not going to denigrate me in front of the entire school! If you cheat on me – I'm fine with dumping, but Hermione, you had better not –" Hermione stood up while he was talking and, although she only came to his nose in height, she stared at him with the same passion.

"I'm not cheating on you! I won't! If I could've chosen any carriage not to have to riden in, that would've been it! Draco, I – I wouldn't do that! You're helping me; why would I do that to you?" Hermione's voice had gone from a risen anger to a soft, bewildermented whisper. Her eyes were wide and blameless; she had done nothing wrong. Draco cursed himself. He'd made her get upset with herself; he saw it in her eyes. Damnit, he couldn't do anything right with this girl!

"Listen," he started, his voice quiet, taking her wrists. "I didn't mean to accuse you. I just...I'm not one to get mocked in front of the whole school. I can't even imagine you doing something like that; I don't know why I said that. I'm sorry." Draco's eyes were lighter, almost blue...Hermione felt her throat tighten. Why did this happen?! Whenever he was near, she felt so...assailable; so naked and helpless. He stripped her of her shell and held her close...He wasn't supposed to do that. Ron was.

The rest of the ride to London was quiet, neither talking. Draco would sigh, though, his gray eyes lingering on her slight form; on her curvatures; on her face; on her eyes. Why was he telling himself she wasn't anything that he wanted when he knew that she was everything he'd ever dreamt of?

***

Hermione went with Ginny to look through the shops while Draco moved off with Michael Zander, a good-looking boy in the Slytherin House. Hermione didn't seem interested in any of the dresses, while Ginny couldn't even decide what color she wanted! 

"Oh, Hermione!" Ginny breathed as she turned a corner in 'Karma's' and saw a long wall of dresses on manicans. She moved along them quickly, her eyes stopping on the very last one – a long dress, the top skirt gathered up to a bundle where it looked like there might be a thigh, the material shining. Another, lighter colored skirt protruded from that, fluffy. The top was of a glossy silk material, fitting snugly, the sleeves low on the shoulders, bigger sleeves protruded from that, stopping at the elbow to reveal long sleeves that would fit down to the wrists. All in a dazzling mixture of rosy, berry colors. Ginny stared at it and her eyes just went over it, a thousand times. Hermione laughed.

"Ginny, it's perfect! Go buy it, c'mon! Or wait – go try it on!" Ginny smiled and called the woman at the register over to get her a dress to try on. Ginny hurried into one of two dressing rooms and Hermione could here her gasp when she saw it; just like she had when she'd laid eyes on for the first time. "Come out, Ginny!"

When Ginny stepped from beyond the door, blushing as Hermione giggled, a few people stopped to watch. It fit perfectly, not an inch too big or small anywhere. Ginny had to mess with the skirt, staring at herself in the mirror, just watching herself. She turned, in many poses, sweeping the full skirt around her as she twirled. Hermione grinned; Ginny turned.

"Hermione, how does it look?" 

"Ginny, there is no other dress." Ginny threw herself at Hermione, hugging her tightly.

"Hermione, I'm going with Harry!" Hermione laughed, her eyes bright as she pulled Ginny away to look at her, her hands on her shoulders.

"He asked you?!"

"He asked me!" Hermione laughed excitedly as Ginny giggled wildly. Ginny went to the register, using all of the year's and the previous summer's savings to buy the dress. They walked back out into small flurries, to go down the street, Ginny carrying her dress with her, finally having put her coat on. 

Ginny drug Hermione through multiple stores, making her try on the prettiest, most expensive dresses, but Hermione was not impressed with any of them. She just didn't see anything that caught he eye as Ginny's dress had caught hers. And time passed too quickly for Hermione...and she ran out of time. 

"Hermione, we can't stay! The train is leaving in five minutes! We have to run to get there as of now! C'mon!" Ginny enticed Hermione through more snowflakes, bigger, more harsh falling. Hermione stared at the shops of London...there just wasn't a dress for her. She felt Ginny's hand on her arm as she was dragged back to the train station. Hermione would cry when she got back to her dorm.

***

( I know, kinda sad little ending. lol. And yes, to those of you who keep asking, this story is still in progress of being written and there should be 1-2 more chapters! So, whoo! I wonder; who do YOU think Hermione should be with? Review and tell me, ya'll, I wanna know what you think. And be honest with me, do you think the characters are OOC? Draco wasn't in this chapter as much as I wanted him to be, but I didn't want him with Hermione when she was looking for a dress, lol!)

****

NEXT CHAPTER

Hermione goes to the Celestial Festival, with a special surprise, and she has to make the decision of a lifetime...

While Draco is trying to cope with his dreams and Ron realizes he really needs Hermione...


	5. A New Day

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Girls had began recruiting to their dorms, to work. It was 'the night' and everyone wanted to look perfect. But that meant the only girl not going couldn't stay in her dorm and be in the way. She had to leave. And she did, to walk aimlessly through the upper corridors. She didn't understand why she had not been allowed the right of going to what was supposed to be her 'senior prom'. She sighed and stopped, staring at a pair of tall, mahogany doors that were at a diagonal angle. She didn't realize it, but she was on the seventh and highest floor in Hogwarts. She hadn't been up here in a long while. She pressed against the doors, allowing herself access to the marble stone beyond.

It was a gorgeous night, the night a blanket of velvet with tiny diamonds laced throughout it. The snow outside was fresh, since the outdoor festival had ended at least two hours ago and more snow had fallen since. Hermione walked to the balcony, it was a nice, large one, too. The Astronomy Tower. It was the favorite place for people to be alone at. Well, tonight, Hermione would be alone. And, even though she'd probably cry, she knew she wasn't missing much. She'd heard about Draco. He'd 'dumped' her. He was going with Pansy, much to her delight. So Hermione would be dateless anyhow. She sighed and leaned against the balcony as she sucked back the tears.

***

Ginny paced her dorm, her gown laying out on her bed. The other girls in her dormitory already had their dresses on and were fretting with make-up and hair. There was plenty of time left, but everyone wanted to look like a gem. But Ginny, the girl that was always in fear of being late, was not getting ready. No, she was wondering about Hermione. She'd seen her leave to the tower, and knew she was upset. Ginny sighed.

She turned to her dress and tilted her head. She thought, pressing her lips together, before she suddenly up and left her dorm at a jog, leaving her dress and all where it lay. She threw herself down the stairs, knocking girls out of the way as they headed up with bags of make-up, some carrying special potions for their hair and face. She leapt from the fifth step down and flew out of the portrait hole before breaking into a sprint to the Great Hall, the wide hallways adequate for today.

Once there, she nearly knocked Professor Flitwick off of his stool as he was decorating white Christmas Trees in the corner. Ginny wouldn't ask about the Christmas Tree, although she did quirk a brow before speaking with an urgent tone.

"Professor, do you happen to know where the headmaster is? I need to speak with him, right away!" Ginny watched as Flitwick knitted his white brows and thought for a second.

"I think he should, eh, should be on his way down here," Flitwick stated before turning back to his work. Ginny sighed and rolled her eyes before she turned and headed back to the doors, to peer around for the Headmaster. Where could he be? There, Snape came up the stairs from the Dungeons. She bit her lip and stepped over to him.

"Professor?"

"What?" Snape spat the word with an icy tone, but Ginny didn't flinch.

"Do you know where the Headmaster is? I need to speak with him."

"Headmaster Dumbledore has not time for your petty, insignificant questions!" Snape barked, brushing past Ginny. She scoffed and turned to follow him with a look that clearly told him she wasn't playing.

"Excuse me, _Severus_, but it is important to another student that I see him right away! Now, if you do not tell me where he is, I'll–"

"Look here, _Missy_, I am a professor. You _call_ me Professor. Never, _ever_, my first name. Got that?" Snape's face had come in close to Ginny's, his cold, steel black eyes bearing like daggers into her pale blue ones. She felt the intimidation of his power, not his authority, but his power as a person. She glared, just as if he were a school girl arguing over a boy, though.

"Just tell me where Headmaster Dumbledore is!" Ginny decreed.

  
"I'm right here, Miss Weasley. What can I do for you?" Ginny turned from a frothing Snape to the Headmaster before she walked off to speak with him.

***

Draco wrote furiously, copying from a book that changed it's information every few days. Plagiarism, yes, but Draco was too busy to do this Astronomy essay on his own. But he would stop, soon enough, once he realized that he'd left his charts up in the tower. He cursed as a few girls brushed past his table on their way up to their dorms. They were bubbling with an excitement that Draco saw nothing in. He rose to go get them, but Pansy slipped around from behind. She smiled a devil smile and played with Draco's collar, a pout then forming on her lips.

"What's wrong? You've been so quiet, lately. Usually, you're talking vainly of your father's estate or your scholarship to British Works." Draco shook his head and pecked her cheek, hiding a disgust that lurched in his stomach violently.

"Nothing. I've just been concentrating on my homework a bit, hoping that I might receive another scholarship to another school, just for the record." He brushed past Pansy, then, to get his charts, but she didn't seem to mind. She jogged over to Blaise Zabini, who was on her way to the dorms, to giggle about the night.

Draco shook his head as he passed what had to be all of the Ravenclaw seventh years in a group, giggling madly and gossiping about how the Weasley girl was going to the Ball with Harry Potter. A sneer touched Draco's lip but he made no remarks and climbed the stairs hastily, to the Astronomy Tower.

He hesitated slightly as he found the tall mahogany doors slightly ajar. He peeked through to notice a figure, hunched over near the balcony railing – rather, leaning on it for support. It was female, he could tell by the faint outline. The clouds outside were clearing to leave the violet sky shining down, and she was dark against the night. He slipped through the doors, apt for not disturbing her and finding his charts. But as he moved past her to the tables at the left of the room, the faint glow from the moon struck her face, silver shining across her cheeks and illuminating the tear-stains there. He stopped and stared. 

"Hermione?"

***

"And _that's_ why I need your help, Headmaster!" Ginny looked pleadingly into those twinkling blue eyes and Dumbledore smiled.

"I think I can arrange that, Miss Weasley. You're a good friend." Ginny smiled at Dumbledore before they moved over to the fireplace. Dumbledore grabbed a little bit of floo powder and chucked it into his fireplace before he ushered Ginny into the flames. 

"Daigon Alley!" Dumbledore followed with those exact same words. With the familiar whirl of floo travel, Ginny and the Headmaster were suddenly sitting on the floor in Gringotts. Dumbledore coughed and black soot rose off of his nose. Ginny shook it off of her clothes and headed for the door, brushing past many goblins. Dumbledore would follow. 

"So, where do you think we could get one?" Ginny asked casually, as her and Dumbledore walked along the alley. Although she was freezing without a cloak or anything, she was wearing a sweater, and she was too excited to really care. Dumbledore also bore no cloak, but he didn't seem to mind, either.

"I think Madam Malkin can do a bit of work for us tonight." Dumbledore gave Ginny a wink and she grinned, biting her lip in anticipation. 

***

"W–who's there?" Hermione whirled around, stumbling a bit in her blind sight. She hadn't recognized the voice, but she felt she knew the person. And when her eyes adjusted to the darkness he stood in, she could see plainly that it was Draco. And she was frightened, extremely so. 

"Hermione, what're you doing up here?" Draco asked in a slightly harsh, almost big brotherly, tone. Hermione sniveled and, glaring, turned her gaze back out over the balcony. She wanted to say so many mean things to him; she wanted to bash him, cut him, scream at him, make him see what he'd done to her. She had so many mixed feelings; her head was pounding.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" She ran a hand back through her curls and wiped at the mascara under her eyes. She blinked furiously to get the remaining tears in her eyes under control. Draco glared at her. If only she was smart enough; she was stupid. She should know he'd never out rightedly admit he loved her. Draco Malfoy made no fool of himself. 

"I don't know. You're the most confusing, don't know what you want, dull-witted imbecile in the school!" Draco's eyes were a piercing steel as Hermione slowly turned back at his words. Cutting edge, she felt a consciousness in it all. She stared at him before she shook her head.

"I don't know what I ever saw in you..." Her voice was very plain and clear, pure. Draco scoffed.

"There isn't anyone watching! You don't have to pretend anymore, okay? Honestly, Hermione, what do you really think of me?" Draco stepped out of the dark and into a ray of the slowly rising moon. His hair, which was glowing, sent many shadows over his face. His eyes were still bright as ever, though.

"I think I thought you were a pretty good person. I think I was wrong. In fact, I know it. You're shallow, arrogant, and you don't care about anyone but yourself. I thought we actually had something. Something _through_ the acting we put on. I thought you liked me. I thought I loved you. I thought I _loved_ you. For fucking God's sake, Draco Malfoy, I slept with you!" Hermione's last words came louder and quicker than they were meant to. "And remember what you told me? Remember? 'You wouldn't have slept with me if you didn't love me.' Remember, Draco?" Hermione shook her head. "Didn't think so. Stop bothering me, Malfoy, go find your whore." 

Draco stood, disconcerted. She had blown him away. He didn't expect anything like that to come out of her mouth. Her eyes were ablaze with that light, owl-yellow tint as she turned her face away. She licked her lips, staring out at the Forbidden Forest. She sighed, quietly, and waited for him to leave. She wanted to cry. But not in front of him. And not until she was unmistakably sure he was gone. 

"I'm sorry," Draco's voice was uncertain for the first time since Hermione had ever known him. His eyes were on the floor, confused, and he turned and walked from the room, quickly. Hermione watched him leave with a hopeful heart. She sighed and put her back to the balcony before sliding down to the floor, drawing up her knees and crying silently.

***

"Oh, that's terrible!" Madam Malkin put a tiny hand to her chest. "I'll have something made in no time!" Ginny grinned, a light feeling touching her heart. She told the Headmaster she'd be back in half an hour or so and went off out the door. She went into many different shops before she stopped in one clothing store. It must have been a fashion store that you went to if you were rich. 

Ginny looked around, blandly rushing through the racks. Many of the people there looked down on her, giving her a sneer due to the fact that she wore no designer clothing. She snuck off into the shoes, where many tall rows were aligned. It seemed that no one really liked the shoes. Or else they were all too pre-occupied with the clothes. Ginny just meandered along, trying on all sorts of different heels and sandals. She laughed as one pair lifted her off of the ground with tiny wings at the heels. 

"Down!" Ginny commanded, and the white sandals brought her back to the floor. She glanced at the clock before realizing she'd already been wandering around this huge store for forty-five minutes. She went to turn and jog back to the robe shop when she tripped on a box. She felt a blush creep into her cheeks and looked around, as if making sure that no one had seen her. She sat up and glanced at the shoes, just to glance before leaving. She was distracted, though, by the shoes. She opened them up and inside was a lovely rose color fabric, decorated with many tiny beads in intricate designs. It looked like little bits of magic. Glitter also lingered there and they were the perfect color to match her dress. 

Ginny removed her clogs and slipped the shoes on. They fit perfectly and Ginny had to stand on them. They made her feel like she was dancing on clouds. She looked for a price, but, surprisingly, found none. Ginny looked down at the shoes. They had nothing on them, and Ginny bit her lip. She slipped her clogs into the large purse she carried and moved towards the door. Everyone had gotten too engaged in what they were doing, though, to even notice Ginny again. After their 'hello' sneers, they would pay her no attention. 

Ginny wondered after she got outside why she didn't put the heels in her purse. She shrugged. No one noticed that she'd just stole a nice pair of heels from a stuffy, prep store. She switched the shoes around and jogged back into the robe shop. Madam Malkin had just about finished the dress and Ginny breathed a sigh. 

"It's beautiful!" 

"Isn't it?"

"Oh, thank you!" Madam Malkin blushed at the compliments. 

"But we've only got an hour!" Ginny voiced as she glanced at the clock.

***

Ron paced his dorm apprehensively. Draco had dumped Hermione; he had dumped Lavender; Ginny was going with Harry; Draco was going with Pansy; him and Hermione were going with nobody. This could be his chance; he could finally tell her how he felt; how sorry he was. He still loved her. He had to stop and wonder whatever possessed him to do that. Maybe it was the fact that Lavender had the appeal of popularity and talk, along with a pretty face. But Hermione had the appeal of forever in her eyes and a beautiful personality. Ron missed her. He missed Harry, too. Ever since all of this, they'd never really sat down and talked, like old friends.

"Whoa, look at the time!" Dean Thomas inquired as he and Seamus walked into the dorm. They headed off for fresh showers before they changed and spiffed their hair. Ron sighed and sat back on his bed, after they had gone, and pulled that slip of paper out from under his pillow. He pulled it's creased folds and there was her handwriting. The curves so perfect in their slight slant, the faded color of the purple ink, the words on the page. 

__

Ron,

I just wanted to let you know (due to many sources giving me the courage) that I think I have a thing for you and 

I hope you'll consider going out to Hogsmeade with me this weekend. Write me back. Yours Forever, 'Mione

He bit his lip, fighting the urge to crumple the paper. She wasn't his, not anymore. But he felt he didn't deserve her. She didn't need him and he'd told her that he didn't need her either. A lie. Everything the last year was a lie. What had happened to them? What had happened to the happy threesome that had been so close? They were best friends. What happened? Where had that group of friends gone? Ron sighed and shoved the piece of paper under the pillow again.

"As Hermione would say, 'People change. Friendships change. Life changes.'"

***

"Draaaaaaaceyy!" Her voice was the last straw. He snapped his quill in half. He glared and brushed the crumbled and broken pieces to the floor.

"What, Pansy?" Draco said through gritted teeth. He didn't know if he could take much more of this. It had been fifteen minutes since he'd come back from the Astronomy Tower, chartless and broken hearted. She had done nothing but warm up to him in the time that he wanted most to be left alone. She giggled as she hid behind a cloak, so not to show her dress. 

"Aren't you going to get ready? There's only about twenty minutes until it starts!"

"I'm naturally beautiful." The offensive note there went over her head. She was dumb like that. But Draco was really thinking about Hermione. Would she be okay? Should he go make sure she didn't fall off the balcony? Or cry so hard she choked? Oh, who was he kidding? She probably wasn't even crying. Not over him. No, of course not. She was a smart girl; she'd realize that she's too good for Draco Malfoy, someday. Someday. 

Draco rose and went up to his dorm. His empty dorm. He was alone, now. Alone in his dorm, where no one could get him. He didn't understand why things had gone so wrong. Yet it was so plainly in front of him. In the words of a poet who's poem was sitting in the book in his dresser. _Too fiery to live with, too needy to live without, in the end, it all comes together. And she will let him kiss her without reluctance and he will finally tell her he loves her. And happily ever after is in their future._

Why is everything easier said than done? Draco wondered. He stared at his reflection in the mirror. His eyes were pale and cold, his blonde bangs falling in front of his face. He decided to give her up, just like he'd given his mother up. He'd tried everything without saying those three words and then it was all just hopeless. He went to take a quick shower and change.

***

"Hermione!" Ginny nearly slid across the marble floor in the Astronomy Tower. She hugged her friend and giggled madly. "Hermione, we got a dress! And it's so pretty, I know you'll love it! Stop your crying, come on, we've got to get you dressed! Only thirty minutes until this thing starts!" Ginny pulled her teary-eyed friend out of her sanctuary. Ginny raced down the hallways, sliding down the railings of the staircases, all the while, Hermione's hand in her own. Hermione stumbled along blindly after and had to try to go down the stairs while Ginny went down the railings. 

Ginny tugged Hermione up the final set of stairs to their dorms in less than five minutes and shoved Hermione into a shower. "Hurry up, Hermione!" Hermione came back out five minutes later, clean and fresh, but still not happy.

"Ginny–"

"You want to see it?" Hermione hesitated, but she couldn't deny wanting to get a view at the dress Dumbledore had gotten 'made' for her, or so Ginny had breathed on the way down.

"I suppose," Hermione breathed. Ginny giggled and pushed her down in the chair at her vanity.

"Not until you're in hair and make-up!" With that last word, Ginny set to work. Hermione took notice that most of the makeup was a shiny ice blue in color. Ginny didn't say a word while she pulled Hermione's hair in multiple directions and painted on her eyes.

***

"Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley!" The names were to be announced as they entered from the Entrance Hall into the Great Hall. Harry, in a nice black tux, had Ginny's arm as she walked through the door in her lovely, rose colored dress. Her shoes made it look like she was gliding across the floor instead of walking. Although she had left Hermione to finish most of her make-up on her own, with only a few minutes left to fix herself up, she still looked radiant. Her hair was taken back into a three-layered bun, gold and rose colored ribbons winding throughout it, elegantly. Harry blushed as a few people commented him on the way by. They were to walk all the way across the Great Hall and then turn and walk around to join the audience as others were inducted into the Hall.

"Lavender Brown and Seamus Finnigan!" Lavender's arm was carried by the blonde, quite handsome Seamus, who was decked out in a navy tux. Lavender was layered in a single red shawl, which wound through her elbows. It glittered, to match her slim fitting, sleeveless dress. A slit up the right side left most of her leg showing, along with her nice, strappy heels. Her blonde hair was taken into a lovely mound of curls on top of her head. A natural looking light red shaded her eyes and a simple red lipstick glistened on her lips. Blush tinted bright cheeks, but a sneer cracked the image. She'd be pretty if she wasn't so nasty! Ginny thought silently.

"Parvati Patil and Dean Thomas!" Parvati bit her pink lips as she, dazzling in a luxury of pale pink satin drapings, entered with Dean and his black tux at her arm. She was so pretty, Ginny had to purse her lips in silent jealousy. Lovely brown French Braids turned into a lovely bun, only decorating the top of her head. Her make-up was glitzy and natural and she was over-all gorgeous. Dean seemed quite taken with her.

"Neville Longbottom and Lorry Geuttendah...."

***

A knock sounded at the door and Hermione breathed nervously as she dropped the blush stick she had been using. "Y-Yes?" she called through the door, hoping that she could have been fashionably late alone.

"Hermione?" She gasped quietly, a slight hand coming to her lips. 

"Wh...Yes?" Hermione glanced at herself in the mirror, trying to rub the blush in a bit before she bent to retrieve the applier she'd dropped. 

"Uh, can I come in?" 

"No! No!" Hermione knocked over a few bottles of other girls' perfume and a few other things in her haste to turn around quickly. She made to pick them up, but ended up knocking more things over. She gave up. "Uh, I mean, no. I'm not ready, yet," Hermione covered. Ron was outside her door....What was Ron doing outside her door? Wasn't he going with Lavender?

"Oh, uh, well, I wanted to ask you if you aren't going with anyone, and, even though this is late, would you like to go with me? To the ball, because, well, Lavender and me, we aren't going." Hermione blinked a few times before she reached for some hairspray and sprayed it in her hair, hastily. 

"Oh, uh, Ron, I'd love to! I just have to finish. Go on down alone, I might be a few." Hermione just wanted to be late alone, and wanted everyone to turn and look when she walked through those doors. Walking into the Hall with a boy would only make Draco think she was unavailable. Goodness, what was she thinking about Draco for?! The only reason Draco had anything to do with her was because of the boy at her door! And she'd gotten what she wanted, what was she complaining about, now? Ron agreed and Hermione put the finishing touches on herself.

***

Ginny watched the door anxiously, even after Ron told her that Hermione would be late. She hoped she was going to come! There was plenty of time left, but it was a half an hour into it and Ginny wondered if she was going to come at all. Ron was anticipating seeing her, she could tell. She stole a glance at Draco, who Pansy had abandoned to chat. He glanced at the clock and then the doors. She couldn't tell if he was looking for Hermione or waiting until he could leave. 

But Ginny's prayers were answered as the door's squeaked and Hermione's reddening face peeked through. She slipped through the doors and tried to adjust to all of the eyes on her. Ginny noticed that Hermione looked much differently then when she had left her. Her hair was not done up into a fancy bun, but down. More curls than naturally were there, all different kinds. Spiral and big round ones, little ones, and more. They looked beautiful! The dress was amazing, it looked even better on Hermione than it did not. It was of an ice blue color and the sleeves were pushed down on her upper arms, the silvery material bunched up. Her pale arms were visible until silver gloves engulfed her wrists and hands. The dress had to have a corset and pushed her breasts up, nearly above the rim of the dress. It was cut straight across and a V ran down the front, designs interlacing inside. A nice, thick waistband of silver covered the plain blue at the waist and then a large over-hanging of darker blue fell from that, over the ice blue of the full skirt. It had sapphires holding it pinned at the sides to the dress, making the material bunch and look fuller. A loop interlaced in her fingers (on both hands) came down to a sapphire in her palm where a glittering silver shawl connected on both, to rest behind her. A few barrettes of the sapphires were stuck throughout her hair, holding a few curls in certain angles and whatnot. The shoes were silver and simple, plain, but very nice, a shiny material. She was the belle of the ball. Her makeup was light, the eyeshadow silver and lining above her eyes, then the silver faded, to the sides, to a darker blue. Blush lined her cheeks and a wet shine lipstick of just a glossy clear bit tinted with blue was all that decorated her feeble smile. She was gorgeous and she would be remembered. Now Ginny knew why she was late.

Ron moved quickly towards her and took her arm as they walked into the warmth of the crowd. Many people commented Hermione and she smiled and thanked them all. She wasn't sure how to approach Draco, and so, she would wait it out. Besides, Pansy seemed to have taken a very protective spot at his side, suddenly. But more than once, Hermione caught Draco watching. Too bad she couldn't do this to him everday. Too bad she already did.

"You look...radiant." Harry kissed her cheek for the millionth time that night. She finally just hugged him, laughing with a healthy smile.

"You really are my big brother!" He laughed.

"I try!" Ginny smiled.

"I'm glad you were late, Cinderella," she said with a touch of attitude. Hermione smiled and laughed lightly, blushing and staring at the floor, before she tilted her head back up.

"Me, too." Hermione and Ginny giggled lightly, then, and hugged. "Thanks, Ginny."

"Anytime, girl. You're always welcome." 

The music played casually at first, and everyone basically lingered. But the music would turn more quickly as the night progressed and many people would dance. Lavender made a show of herself more than once, grabbing Seamus's hands and placing them at her hips as she moved to a quick song. Seamus turned a light shade of pink, but didn't mind at all. The only problem was that Lavender's eyes were devilishly splaying over Ron. Hermione refused to dance to anything quick, but Ginny had a lot of fun with it. 

"Harry, c'mon, you're my dancing partner, aren't you?" she laughed. Harry had more of a time watching Ginny than he did actually dancing with her. The girl could dance – even in a evening gown.

But Hermione lingered away from the crowd, and, somehow, away from Ron. She went to lean against the sill of a window, out of the heavy lights. She sighed as she gazed out at the luminous snow banks. They glistened and twinkled and Hermione had to smile. She felt eyes on her, though, and chanced a glance to the side. Draco was not a few feet off, watching her. She turned and watched him as he drew near.

"So, you got what you wanted, eh?" Draco's voice implicated a sneer that would not show through on his sharp features. Hermione felt her stomach lurch. Until just now, she had never noticed exactly how much she really wanted to be with him. Despite how much she fought herself on it, she found she was stuck in a deep hole, slowly loosing this battle.

"Why is it any concern of yours?" Hermione answered with a question, her voice monotone. Draco quirked a brow. Hermione felt a sudden flutter of her heart, but she hid it well. She loved it when he did that.

"I just felt I should ask if I played my part well."

"Too well." Hermione's answered gave her away and she knew it. She didn't want to have to live the life of something she wasn't. She wasn't in love with Ron. She never was, and she knew it. Being with him never felt like it did with Draco. And having Ron around was almost like having a love–struck geek following you. Not that Ron was a geek, but it was a nuisance. She didn't look at him like that. Ron was just a friend to her, know. Ron wasn't anything like Draco. 

"What do you mean, 'too well'?" Draco inquired, skeptically. Hermione shook her head, dropping her gaze, feeling a rush of emotion.

"I don't want this." Hermione swallowed the slight tears and pursed her lips, brushing a stray curl from her face. "I don't love him. I never did."

"What're you talking about, Hermione?" Draco asked, his tone suddenly softer and more anticipating. Hermione looked up at him, the passion in her eyes begging him to not make her say it. But she had to.

"I love you," Hermione barely whispered. Quickly, with a flash of ice blue, she had turned and was running for the door. Draco made after her, though, catching her arm and trying to pull her away from the doors. But a pale hand came out of nowhere to knock him to the floor. 

"Get off of her!" Ron's blue eyes blazed as they scathed Draco. Hermione stopped and froze. But she didn't remain that way. Despite the comfusion in her mind that was blinding her judgement, she stood in front of Ron.

"Please....Just leave him alone." She turned her face to the floor as Ron realized. He shook his head and turned around, walking briskly away. Hermione bit her glossy lips and felt the hatred and questions in everyone else's eyes. But Hermione wouldn't have to deal with them. Pansy shoved her out of the way, a glare that could freeze fire and melt ice on her face. 

"What do you think you're doing?" Hermione didn't know what to do. What could she do? She couldn't fight her. She wouldn't. She didn't know what to say. But, luckily, she was rescued.

"Pansy, get out of here." Hermione expected Draco to stand up and say something, but Ginny was the one who would oppose Pansy's glare. Pansy turned, surprisingly, and walked away. Ginny turned to Hermione. "Oh, Hermione! I'm so sorry!" Ginny hugged her tightly. Hermione's lip tremored, and she watched Draco, who had stood up. She had just ruined her life. It was all ruined. Ron didn't love her, Draco didn't love her. She was alone. She'd lost everything. She'd tried so hard to make it right....

***

Having wilted in the hours that followed her humiliation, Hermione rested her elbows on the Astronomy balcony. She stared out at the stars, the cold stinging her arms, although she barely noticed. Her dress seemed to hang on her loosely, her curls had relaxed, and her make-up was smudged. She pressed her eyes shut, and a single tear streaked down her pale cheek. The doors behind her opened, to her oblivioun. 

A hand rested on her shoulder, a cold, slender hand. Hermione shivered. She knew it was Draco. She kept her consternation to herelf, though, and wiped at the tear on her cheek.

"Hermione, you have to listen to me." Hermione sniveled and nodded, as he lead her away from the balcony. He sat her down on one of the Astronomy tables, standing before her. He looked into her eyes, which refused to stare back. "I lied." Hermione's eyes were now brought to stare into his.

"W – what?"

"I lied. I told you I'd never enjoy this, this playing the part of being your boyfriend. I wake up in the morning, waiting to get to kiss you, even if it's just an act. I lied. I don't hate you. I lied. I lied about everything." Hermione waited for him to tell her that he loved her. And he didn't. He remained silent after that, his eyes shifting away from her face. Hermione's lips quivered, and she fought the tears, to fail.

"Are you even sorry about lying?" Her voice was brinked with tears and they rolled down her cheeks. Draco bit his lip.

"Yes, I apologize. I didn't mean for any of this to happen –"

"But you don't love me!" Hermione's eruption shocked Draco and he took a step back. She slid off of the table, to her feet. She glared at him, the yellow tint in the bronze eyes filled with rage and passion. "You won't say it! You don't feel it! You don't love me! You just wasted my time! You just humiliated me! I hate you! I hate you!" Every single tone was lined with the crystalline tears that rolled down her cheeks. Draco shook his head before he grabbed her arms and forced his mouth against hers. She fought against him, despite how much she loved it. When he released her, he stared into her eyes, the steel grey a shining silver.

"I love you, Hermione. I love you!" His voice was a mere sharp whisper and Hermione threw her arms around his neck, pressing her eyes together tightly. The tears that rolled down her cheeks now were of release. Finally, he'd said it, and it wasn't the act. He loved her, and she finally knew it. 

"I love you, too, Draco." And the song came right out of nowhere, but this time, Hermione smiled. _You're cruel device, your blood, like ice.One look could kill, my pain, your thrill...Poison._

***

Hermione snapped her trunk closed for the last time in her life. She looked around, at her empty dorm. The other girls were gone, having already packed all of their things. Hermione stood up and reached under her matress, pulling out the ring. she looked into the bright wine yellow tint of the pale stone. _"To match the passion in your eyes,"_ he'd said. She smiled. She pulled at the piece of paper, too. Unfolding it, she read:

_Take back that sad goodbye,_

come back into my life

tell me you love me again,

undo this hurt you caused when you

walked out of my life.

uncry these tears,

unbreak my heart. 

come back, again.

Hermione pressed the paper close to her heart before she threw her window open. Sunlight and a warm breeze greeted her. She looked at the paper one last time before she tore it into tiny pieces and threw it to the wind. Flying away was his dreams, Ron's dreams, on the wind. Gone with the wind. 

With that, she packed up the last of her seventh year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and went down to her new life. Her new life, with her new fiancé, with the new day. She'd learned everything she needed to know about life in one year; everything about how to live and how to love and when to smile. She went out to the train that would take her home with Draco, the ring on her finger, the sun in her smile, the breeze in her heart. She smiled back at Hogwarts for, though it seemed, not the last time. 

"Goodbye, Hermione. Hello life."

The End....

__

Well, how was that for you? I'll write a sequel, maybe, lol. I don't know. Credit for the poem goes to Toni Braxton and all things related. Just verses from the song 'Unbreak my Heart'. Thank you to my reviewers, my readers, my friends, my family, and everyone else. It means a lot to me that you're reading. Please review and tell me what you thought about the ending of the story. Thank you, again,

miss mana


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